Nostradamus (Encore)

Early Life

Michel de Nostredame, known as Nostradamus, was born in 1503 in Provence, France, to a family that had converted from Judaism to Catholicism. His early education was extensive, covering mathematics, classical Greek, Latin, and astrology, which he pursued at the University of Avignon until the plague forced its closure. Later, he attended the University of Montpellier but was expelled for working as an apothecary. Despite these setbacks, Nostradamus's fascination with the occult led him to publish a successful almanac in 1550, marking the beginning of his journey into prophecy 1.

The man we know as Nostradamus is just the latinized name for Michel de Nostradam. He was born in 1503 in Provence, France, to a family which had converted from Judaism to Catholicism a generation earlier.

--- Gary Arndt

His almanacs, filled with astrological information and prophecies, became annual publications, cementing his reputation as a seer 2.

   

Family Tragedies

Nostradamus faced significant personal tragedies, including the loss of his first wife and two children to the plague in 1534. This devastating event occurred after he had already been expelled from the University of Montpellier for his work as an apothecary. Despite these hardships, he continued to fight the plague in Provence, developing advanced medical techniques for the time, such as avoiding bloodletting and promoting sanitation 1.

In 1531, he was married and had two children. However, both his children and his wife were killed in a plague outbreak in 1534.

--- Gary Arndt

He remarried in 1547 to Anne Ponsard, a wealthy widow, with whom he had six children, and continued his work in medicine and prophecy.