Summary:
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Nostradamus, a renowned 16th-century French astrologer, gained fame through his cryptic quatrains in Les Propheties.
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Born in Saint-Remy-de-Provence to a Jewish family, Nostradamus started as a shopkeeper before becoming a famous astrologer.
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His intentional vagueness in prophecies, fear of witchcraft accusations, and diverse career contributed to his enigmatic legacy.
Nostradamus was a 16th-century French physician and astrologer who wrote close to one thousand cryptic quatrains in his masterpiece work of Les Propheties (The Prophecies). This was a collection that propelled him into the limelight of the French royal court. Though his mysterious prophesies have always been fascinating to the viewers all over the world, numerous interesting facts about his personal life, his background, and his versatile career are not that famous.
Nostradamus’ Hometown
Nostradamus, or Michel de Nostredame, was born on the 14 th of December 1503, in a picturesque town named Saint-Remy-de-Provence in the southern part of France. Reynere de Saint-Remy gave birth to 9 children along with Jaume de Nostredame, a notary and a grain dealer.
His family used to be Jewish
Nostradamus was born to a family of Jewish origin that had long since converted to Catholicism a generation ago because of the persecution of religion and the influence of the Inquisition. His grandfather Guy Gassonet (later Pierre de Nostredame) was converted about 1455-1460 and changed his name to Nostredame.
His name has been Latinized
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Famously known nowadays just by his surname Nostradamus, Michel de Nostredame was his real name. His surname is Nostradamus, which, in Latin, means Nostradamus, a common practice of scholars and doctors of the Renaissance period.
He started as a shopkeeper
At a young age of twenty, Nostradamus got married and became a doctor. He then opened his own apothecary store, more or less like a modern pharmacy, in which he made and sold medications to the local population.
He provided different therapies
The apothecary of Nostradamus offered a diverse range of services and products to the customers such as herbal medicine, confection and sweets. The store even helped in placing bets on the sex of the unborn babies, and this was a sign of the time when medicine, trade, and entertainment were not much different.
During times of grief
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Their first child and the wife of Nostradamus were killed by plague in 1534 when he was curing other people. Deeply devastated, he focused his life on writing and started to travel a lot through Europe, searching the world and new possibilities.
His popularity was boosted by the printing press
With the introduction of the printing press, The Prophecies were widely distributed, and Nostradamus was known all over Europe, well beyond local interested groups, something that previous prophets could never do because they had to spread their Word through word of mouth or a few copies.
Printers took an interest in his work
The printers of the 16th century were in search of commercially feasible titles and the topics of astrology and prophecy were most popular. This demand made the publications of Nostradamus to be desired bestsellers of the era.
Nostradamus did not give any dates
One of the most important aspects of Nostradamus quatrains which makes them so popular are the intentional vagueness and the lack of dates and timeframes. Such ambiguity enables interpretations to be in line with different events in history over centuries.
He feared the accusation of being a witchcraft
Since he had Jewish roots and the atmosphere of anti-Semitism, which was established by both the secular government and the Church, Nostradamus was careful in his literary works and when he appeared in the public to avoid being accused of being a heretic or a sorcerer.
Nostradamus published a book on medicine
Moreover, around 1552-1555 Nostradamus issued Traite des fardemens et confitures ( Treatise on Cosmetics and Preserves ). This useful book included recipes of cosmetics, medicine and jam and candy and even claimed to have a love potion, and demonstrated his knowledge as an apothecary.
