- Nostradamus published a book in 1555 containing 942 quatrains that allegedly predict famous future events.
- Observers have come across a handful of predictions that due seem to reflect real world events.
- In reality, most of Nostradamus' prophecies are poorly translated — and vaguely worded enough to encourage tons of speculation.
Nostradamus' name is synonymous with predicting the future.
The alleged oracle began publishing his famous, cryptic quatrains in 1555. But these were no ordinary poems. Nostradamus was allegedly a diviner who was able predict future tidings.
The 16th century apothecary and astrologer's status as a reputed "seer" allowed him to solicit patronage from wealthy and prominent individuals like Catherine de' Medici, the queen of France.
Nostradamus' star didn't fade after his death in 1566. His works have continued to attract adherents who have connected his writings to earth-shattering events like the rise of Adolf Hitler and the 9/11 attacks.
But, like horoscopes, the predictions themselves tend to be vaguely worded, and therefore open to the reader's interpretations and biases.
In "Nostradamus, Bibliomancer: The Man, the Myth, the Truth," biographer Peter Lemesurier concludes that Nostradamus "believed that history repeats itself" and used the technique of projecting past events onto the future in order to make realistic-sounding claims. What's more, scholars have argued the modern translations of Nostradamus' writing are sloppy and unreliable.
With all that in mind, here's a look back at some of Nostradamus' most famous predictions:
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The death of Henry II
Prediction:
The young lion will overcome the older one,
On the field of combat in a single battle;
He will pierce his eyes through a golden cage,
Two wounds made one, then he dies a cruel death.
What happened:
In the summer of 1559 King Henry II of France (older one) lined up to joust Gabriel, Comte de Montgomery, (young lion), who was six years his junior. The tournament was held to celebrate the upcoming wedding of the king's daughter.
In their final pass, Montgomery's lance tilted up, burst through the king's poorly-secured visor (pierce his eyes through a golden cage), and splintered, according to "On the Death of Henry II."
In the Journal of Neurosurgery, Kamilah Dowling and James Goodrich write that the profusely-bleeding king remained conscious and was "able to walk up some steps with an unsteady gait."
But splinters from the lance had entered the king's eye, throat, and temple (two wounds made one). Despite the best efforts of royal surgeons, Henry II experienced agonizing pain, seizures, and partial paralysis (then he dies a cruel death) before dying in his bed 11 days later.
It all sounds pretty accurate, on the surface. But, according to "Nostradamus: The Illustrated Prophecies," the prophecy's veracity is in doubt because it didn't appear in print until 1614.
The Great Fire of London
Prediction:
The blood of the just will commit a fault at London,
Burnt through lightning of twenty threes the six:
The ancient lady will fall from her high place,
Several of the same sect will be killed.
What happened: This quatrain is often linked with the devastating Great Fire of London.
In regards to the date, 20 times three is 60. Add six to that, and you've got 66 — or the year '66. London's infamous three-day blaze began on September 2, 1666.
The fire wasn't set off by lightning, however. A hot, arid summer and a spark in the bakery of Thomas Farriner on Pudding Lane set the stage for the inferno.
Peasant and middle class deaths were not recorded at the time, according to the Smithsonian Magazine, but it's likely that hundreds or even thousands of people perished in the flames.
In regards to the "same sect" portion of the quatrain, Londoners blamed the conflagration on Catholics and the Dutch, and a number of lynchings and attacks ensued as the city smoldered, the BBC reported. But the members of the "same sect" are also mentioned in conjunction with "the ancient lady," which could be interpreted to refer to London itself.
This prediction is one of the weaker prophecies, as it's often quite a stretch to link the historical events of the Great Fire of London with Nostradamus' words.
The French Revolution
Prediction:
From the enslaved populace, songs,
Chants and demands
While princes and lords are held captive in prisons.
These will in the future by headless idiots
Be received as divine prayers.
What happened: Starting with the storming of the Bastille in 1789, the French Revolution saw the overthrowal of the monarchy and the establishment of a new republic.
The Third Estate (enslaved populace) took control of Paris and forced their demands on royalty (princes and lords).
Ultimately, the revolution turned bloody. Nobles and commoners alike were declared traitors to the revolution and beheaded at the guillotine (headless idiots).
According to Britannica, 17,000 people were executed during the ensuing Reign of Terror, while 10,000 died in jail. Those figures account for all victims of the First French Republic, not just aristocrats.
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