Nostradamus
French astrologer and reputed seer of the 16th century.
Michel de Nostredame (December 1503 – July 1566), usually Latinised as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer, apothecary, physician, and reputed seer. He is best known for his book Les Prophéties (published in 1555), a collection of 942 poetic quatrains allegedly predicting future events.
- born
- 14 or 21 December 1503
- died
- 1 or 2 July 1566
- field
- Astrology, medicine, apothecary
- nationality
- French
- known_for
- Les Prophéties (1555), a book of prophetic quatrains
Lore & Background
Nostradamus was born in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, to a family that had converted from Judaism to Catholicism a generation earlier. He studied at the University of Avignon but left after a year due to a plague outbreak. After working as an apothecary, he entered the University of Montpellier to study medicine but was expelled when his manual trade was discovered. His first wife and two children died in a plague outbreak in 1534. He later remarried Anne Ponsarde, with whom he had six children.
Nostradamus wrote an almanac for 1550, and its success led him to write annual almanacs and begin work on Les Prophéties. The book relied heavily on historical and literary precedent and received mixed reception. Catherine de' Medici became one of his foremost supporters. He suffered from severe gout toward the end of his life, which developed into edema, and died on 1 or 2 July 1566.
Reader's Guide
Nostradamus's significance lies in his enduring reputation as a prophet, largely based on his book Les Prophéties. In the years since its publication, many supporters and popular press have credited him with accurately predicting major world events. However, academic sources reject the notion of genuine supernatural prophetic abilities, maintaining that associations between world events and his quatrains result from misinterpretations or mistranslations. Academics also argue that his predictions are characteristically vague, applicable to virtually anything, and thus useless for determining real prophetic power. His legacy is thus a mix of popular legend and scholarly skepticism, with many apocryphal stories retold by popular authors.
Did You Know?
- Nostradamus was forced to leave the University of Avignon after just over a year when it closed due to a plague outbreak.
- He was expelled from the University of Montpellier after it was discovered he had worked as an apothecary, a manual trade forbidden by university statutes.
- His first wife and two children died in 1534 during another plague outbreak.
- Catherine de' Medici, wife of King Henry II of France, became one of his foremost supporters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nostradamus?
Michel de Nostredame was a 16th-century French astrologer, physician, and apothecary who became one of history's most famous purported seers. He lived from December 1503 to July 1566 and is best remembered for his collection of prophetic poetry.
What are Nostradamus's 'powers' or role in the occult canon?
Nostradamus is not a supernatural figure but a historical man whose fame rests on Les Prophéties, a 1555 book of 942 four-line poems that readers have long interpreted as predictions of future events. His 'power' in the eyes of fans is the deliberately cryptic, allusive style of his verses, which seem to match countless historical happenings when read retrospectively.
How does Nostradamus's story end?
Nostradamus died on either 1 or 2 July 1566 in Salon-de-Provence, France, at roughly 62 years of age. His death was quiet, with no dramatic final revelation, and his entire legacy was left to the ongoing interpretation of his published quatrains.
Why is Nostradamus important to fans of hoaxers and showmen?
He occupies a unique spot because he blends genuine historical scholarship in medicine and astronomy with a body of work that has been endlessly reinterpreted, parodied, and exploited as a 'prediction machine.' In the fan canon he serves as the original case study in how vague, poetic language can be spun into seemingly accurate foresight.
What exactly is Les Prophéties?
Published in 1555, Les Prophéties is a slim volume of 942 quatrains—four-line poems written in a deliberately obscure, allusive style. It was originally organized by year and month, though many entries lack clear dates, which is what fuels centuries of retrospective matching to real-world events.
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