Michel de Nostredame, known as Nostradamus, was a 16th-century French astrologer, apothecary, and physician. He is most famous for his book Les Prophéties, a collection of poetic quatrains published in 1555, which many believe foretold future occurrences. His early life involved studying at universities that were closed due to plague outbreaks, and he worked as an apothecary before pursuing medicine. He experienced personal tragedy with the loss of his first wife and children to plague, before remarrying and having a larger family.

Nostradamus began writing almanacs, which gained popularity and led him to work as an astrologer for wealthy patrons, including Catherine de' Medici. His major work, Les Prophéties, drew on historical precedents and initially received varied responses. While supporters credit him with accurate predictions of world events, academic analysis suggests his writings are vague and subject to misinterpretation, rejecting claims of supernatural prophetic ability. He suffered from gout and edema in his later years, dying in 1566.

Born in southern France in December 1503, Michel de Nostredame's family had converted from Judaism to Catholicism. He began his university studies at Avignon but was forced to leave due to a plague epidemic. After working as an apothecary, he attempted to earn a medical doctorate at Montpellier. However, his expulsion from the university was swift, as his practice as an apothecary was forbidden by their statutes. This period also saw him gain recognition for creating a "rose pill" believed to ward off the plague.

Nostradamus married in 1531, but tragically lost his wife and two children to the plague just three years later. He continued his travels and work, assisting in combating plague outbreaks in various cities like Marseille. He eventually settled in Salon-de-Provence, where he remarried a wealthy widow, Anne Ponsarde, and raised six children. This period marked a shift in his focus, moving away from medicine towards more esoteric pursuits.

Around 1550, Nostradamus began publishing annual almanacs, Latinizing his name and gaining a following among the elite who sought horoscopes and astrological advice. His most significant work, Les Prophéties, published in 1555, comprised 942 poetic quatrains. To obscure his meanings and avoid religious opposition, he employed a complex style using wordplay and multiple languages. Despite mixed initial reception, the book attracted notable admirers, including Catherine de' Medici, who later appointed him to positions within the royal court. While popular belief attributes supernatural foresight to his writings, academic perspectives emphasize their ambiguity and the role of interpretation in connecting them to specific events.