Nostradamus the Legend

Born on December 14 or 21, 1503, in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, Michel de Nostredame or Nostradamus as he became known by later, died on July 2, 1566 but his legend and prophecies live on.

Nostradamus – From the frontpiece to a collection of his prophecies; published in Amsterdam, in 1666. Re-published in Charles Mackay’s ‘Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds‘ (1852).

Nostradamus was a French apothecary and seer who published astrological almanacs that became wildly popular. The nobility and other prominent persons of the day from both near and far soon started asking for personal horoscopes and psychic advice from him. Perhaps emboldened by this success he set to work on the manuscript that he is most famous for, his book Les Propheties (The Prophecies). Although ‘The Prophecies’ was met with mixed reviews in 1555, it’s rarely been out of print since his death and is a profitable staple for many a publisher.

Indeed, Nostradamus has attracted such a following that more than a few people and publishers (both book publishers and the popular media) have credited him with predicting many major world events even to this day. Depending on the translation and how loose one applies his vague prophecies the enduring seer’s writings can be applied to any number of significant events both in the past and in the future.

Personally, I’ve never put much stock in Nostradamus’ prophecies however there’s no doubt in my mind that he is a colourful character and a creative writer who’s works and mystique make for fascinating reading regardless of what his intentions were and how he came to write his enduring predictions.

Further Reading and Info on Nostradamus:

- Wikipedia: Nostradamus
- History.com’s Nostradamus Site
- History.com: Nostradamus Videos
- The Complete Prophecies of Nostradamus
- Nostradamus For Dummies
- Nostradamus: The Lost Manuscript: The Code That Unlocks the Secrets of the Master Prophet
- The Lost Book of Nostradamus (History Channel DVD)