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, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France
- 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 into a family that had converted from Judaism to Catholicism a generation before his birth. 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, and worked against the plague alongside other doctors.
He began writing almanacs in 1550, Latinising his name to Nostradamus, and gained patronage from wealthy nobles, including Catherine de' Medici. His Les Prophéties, published in 1555, relied heavily on historical and literary precedent and received mixed reception. He suffered from severe gout and edema toward the end of his life, dying on 1 or 2 July 1566. Many popular authors have retold apocryphal legends about his life.
Reader's Guide
Nostradamus's significance lies in his enduring reputation as a prophet, despite academic rejection of any genuine supernatural abilities. His quatrains have been interpreted by supporters and popular press as predicting major world events, but scholars argue these associations result from misinterpretations or mistranslations. The predictions are characteristically vague, allowing them to be applied to virtually anything. His work reflects the Renaissance intersection of medicine, astrology, and occultism, and his legacy persists in popular culture as a symbol of prophecy and mystery.
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 wife and two children died in 1534 during another plague outbreak.
- Catherine de' Medici became one of his foremost supporters after reading his almanacs.
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