In 1554, Nostradamus put all his effort and past experiences into Centuries, which were groups of 100 quatrains each. In total, he had 10 Centuries, containing 942 quatrains, with one only having 42. It is likely he purposely wrote with vagueness, and in a mixture of Greek, Italian, and Latin to avoid persecution from the church.
Despite trying to avoid controversy, Nostradamus still was called the devil’s servant, crazy, a magician, or just plain fake by some. But many people who knew about his predictions were devout followers. He was a celebrity and many of Europe’s upper class sought his advice.
One such example is Catherine de Medici, wife of King Henri II of France. She decided to contact Nostradamus after reading one of his almanacs in 1555 and asked him to come to Paris to counsel her children. Some years later, Nostradamus was appointed Counselor of King Henry’s court. After this, Nostradamus foretold the fate he believed would befall King Henri II if he did not take precautionary measures:
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.”
(Century 1, Quatrain 35)
Nostradamus warned King Henry II to avoid any jousts, strictly because of the underlying message told in this quatrain. However, the king did not pay attention and he was punished for it.
In 1559, Henry II decided to participate in a jousting tournament against the Comte de Montgomery, a man six years younger than he was. The shields used by the two had emblems of lions and the stage was set on the “field of combat” for a “single battle” to occur.
In the final round between the two, Montgomery’s lance shattered, and from the flying debris, splinters penetrated King Henri’s face through his golden visor. His eye was destroyed, his face and throat were riddled with small cuts, and his brain was pierced by two large splinters.
For ten excruciating days, King Henry II was to suffer through these injuries until he died.
Other examples of Nostradamus’ predictions include the Fire of London, Hitler’s rise to power, and the French Revolution:
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.
(Century 2 Quatrain 51)
The London Fire of 1966 is said to be described in this quatrain. Besides the date, “twenty threes (20 x 3) the six (6),” and the location, London, there aren’t many similarities between the writing and the event. The writing is vague, but Nostradamus did predict London succumbing to flames during a year of 66 (1966).
A young child will be born to poor people
Who will by his speech seduce a great multitude,
His reputation will increase in the Kingdom of the East"
(Century 3, Quatrain 35)
One of the more ominous predictions, Hitler’s rise to power is perfectly described here. Hitler was born in Austria, a country in Western Europe, and although he wasn’t directly poor himself, Germany was struggling with paying off debt because of World War I. Hitler won over an entire country through his persuasion and speeches, and throughout the war, his character was talked about in countries to the east such as Russia, China, and Japan.
The princes and lords are held captive in prisons:
In the future by such headless idiots
These will be taken as divine utterances.
(Century 1, Quatrain 14)
Nostradamus’ prediction of the French Revolution paints a vivid picture of the bloodshed that occurred throughout the civil war. The Third Estate (enslaved people) demanded to be treated equally by the upper classes of “princes and lords.” The Bastille, a prison symbolic for representing the oppression of the Third Estate, was besieged in 1789, and the country was filled with many instances of beheadings by the infamous guillotine. Some rulers gained their positions through the beheadings of others, only be taken to the guillotine themselves by the same “idiots” who put them into power.
How Did Nostradamus Predict the Future?
It is said that Nostradamus claimed his predictions were based on the calculations of the planets, stars, and other celestial bodies in relation to the Earth. He adapted these methods from the writings of Plutarch and other historical chroniclers. Some scholars today believe that Nostradamus simply used prophecies already told beforehand, and then used astrology to calculate a date in the future for it to happen.
Even though Nostradamus was popular and well-liked by the European community, there were still people who didn’t hold him to such a high standard. Other astrologers called him incompetent, stupid, and insane for believing astrological configurations could determine similar events to happen in the future.
Some thought his methods were connected to alchemy; others, to numerology.
One thing for certain is that no matter what Nostradamus used, it is a power hidden from the public and only accessible to those who dare to delve into ancient knowledge.
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