December 14, 1503, is the date of birth of Nostradamus in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
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His real name is Michel de Nostredame. He turned very young towards medical studies at the University of Avignon.
But in 1520, the plague made its appearance in the region. He is forced to give up his medical degree. Already at that time, he was interested in the study of the stars. After having practiced the profession of apothecary, he resumed medical studies in 1529. It is not known whether he finally obtained his diploma or not.
He married in 1534 and had two children. But his family succumbs to the plague. Michel therefore made a tour of France between 1540 and 1545, treating the sick in his path. It was at this time that he developed a remedy that he said would be able to cure the plague.
He resumed studying the stars and, in 1550, he wrote his first “almanac”, a collection of astrological predictions for the year.
The “Prophecies”.
In 1555, he published the “Prophecies”, his major work in which he claimed to predict several historical events. The first edition consists of 353 quatrains, verses from 4 stanzas written in a mixture of Middle French, Latin, Greek and Provençal.
The last edition, published 2 years before his death, includes 942. Michel, who now signs under the name of Nostradamus, had planned to write 1,000.
Thanks to this work, he acquired great renown. Queen Catherine de Medici, very superstitious, summons him to court. In 1564, she even appointed him doctor and advisor to King Charles IX.
He died two years later, on July 2, 1566.
The prophecy of lyon.
One of his most famous quatrains concerns the death of King Henry II of France in 1559.
Nostradamus writes:
The old lyon will overcome
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In the field of war by singular duel
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In Golden Cage, his eyes will dig
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Two playes vne, then die, cruel bit.
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The King died after facing the Earl of Montgomery in a tournament. The latter had for symbol a lion. His spear pierced the monarch’s helmet – as gold as the cage – and pierced his eye.
In short, the prophecy has come true.
Some claim that Nostradamus predicted many great historical events, such as the flight of Louis XVI to Varennes or the arrival of Napoleon to power. Its predictions are binding only on those who believe it.
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