Nostradamus Timeline

This Day in History

May 19

Disaster

Avian flu kills young boy, 1997

A three-year-old boy dies of avian influenza in Hong Kong on this day in 1997. By the time the outbreak was controlled, six people were dead and 1.6…

Timeline

—December 14, 1503: Michel de Nostredame is born in St. Remy-de-Provence.

—1522-25: Nostradamus studies medicine at the university in Montpellier.

—1529: Nostradamus begins doctoral studies in medicine at Montpellier Medical School.

—Early 1530s: Nostradamus is invited to the home of philosopher Julius-Cesar Scaliger in Agen and works as a healer there.

—Circa 1534: Nostradamus marries and has two children.

—Circa 1537: Nostradamus's wife and children are infected with the plague and die. His wife's family subsequently sues him for the return of her dowry and his friendship with Scaliger sours.

—Circa 1538: After being charged with heresy for an inadvertent remark he made about a church statue, Nostradamus leaves the region rather than stand trial before the Inquisition at Toulouse. He reportedly travels around Italy and other parts of France for a number of years.

—1544: Nostradamus studies plague treatments with physician Louis Serre in Marseilles. Around this time, major flooding in southern France leads to another serious plague outbreak in the following years.

—1546: Nostradamus treats plague victims in Aix and then goes to Salon to battle another outbreak.

—1547: Nostradamus marries Anne Ponsarde and settles in Salon, where the couple go on to have six children.

—1550: Nostradamus publishes his first almanac, which contains a general prediction for each month of the year. The almanac is a success and new versions appear annually until Nostradamus' death.

—1552: Nostradamus finishes a book about cosmetics and fruit preservatives that is popular when it's published three years later.

—1555: The first installment (centuries 1 through 3 and part of 4) of Nostradamus' most ambitious project, "Les Propheties," is published. The remainder of Century 4 along with centuries 5, 6 and 7 are published later that year.

—1556: Nostradamus is called to Paris for a consultation with the French queen Catherine de Medici.

—1558: Centuries 8, 9 and 10 are published in limited release. It's possible Nostradamus wanted this work more widely distributed only after his death.

—1559: King Henry II killed in a jousting accident. Nostradamus' supporters believe the monarch's death was predicted in Century 1, Quatrain 35.

—1560s: Nostradamus is named royal physician to French monarchy.

—1564: Catherine de Medici visits Nostradamus in Salon. She remains a loyal supporter despite criticism heaped upon Nostradamus by his detractors.

—July 1, 1566: Nostradamus is given last rites by Catholic priest. The prophet correctly predicts he'll be dead by the following day.

—July 2, 1566: Nostradamus dies at home in Salon at age 62.

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