Freedom

It is unknown whether he was offered a teaching position in Montpellier as is traditionally claimed. It is possible, but realistically it is unlikely. Nostradame was obviously gifted, but however critically he approached it, a certain measure of his knowledge was the lore of the apothecary. Even in a university known for its forward thinking, the most supportive faculty would have had a hard time accepting one among their number who had gathered much of his knowledge from such an unorthodox and despised study. Getting such a gifted rising star, objectionable as he was, to graduate from their hallowed halls could only add to the prestige of the university. But to let such an unorthodox and objectionable one as him actually teach there? Most disturbing! Regardless, it is definite that at this time, a final parting between Nostradame and the university took place. Young Michel took to the road, earning a living by dispensing cures as a wandering physician, a common occurrence in those days.

It is almost certain that Nostradame needed some time away from his intense studies. After the intensity of his studies in Montpellier, he would need a break from the routine. He would need time to breath, to smell the flowers, to explore and simply to enjoy life. His life had been up to this time one long stretch of hard work and labor. It is true that as a Doctor of Physique he would be called to practice his trade at any time of the day, still as a wandering physician, he would be able to move around, relax and indulge himself.

It is very likely that Nostradame had kept up with the political affairs going on around the world. If not, at this time he definitely caught up. One thing that he would have learned was that the Papacy had become a pawn of the Imperial Throne of the Hapsburg emperor Carlos (Charles I in English). The Catholic King as he was called had sent his Spanish and Austrian troops into Italy to force the papacy to side with him. One result had occurred in 1527, the Sack of Rome, which would naturally have given the horrified young man a perverse thrill.

Also, he would have learned about the capture of the King of France by Carlos. Francis I was a fairly good king with an excellent repute, fairly beloved by his people. He was a Renaissance king, if a French king could be called such, who had already gotten the great philosopher and painter Leonardo da Vinci to spend his last days in France. The capture of Francis by Carlos in 1525 likely threw the whole kingdom into turmoil. Francis was released but only at the price of the Dauphin Francis, Duc de Brittany, and Henri, the future king of France, to replace him as hostages for three years. This would leave no good impression on the memory of Nostradame.

It is certain that Nostradame got a lot of his information from traveling merchants. These individuals traveled to foreign countries and obtained a lot of information about the nations and localities they traveled in. They were always a font of information. It is doubtless that from one of these merchants Michael learned of Henry VIII of England’s attempt to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon for some lady named Boleyn. He would also have learned of the power Carlos of Spain had in preventing it, the fact that he kept the Pope, Clement VII, as a slave in Rome well guarded by Spanish and Austrian troops. He would also have learned about the power that Carlos had over so much of Europe. It would have been, at the least, an eye opening experience.

He likely traveled to Avignon and talked to the Archbishop, Ippolito de' Medici. Almost certainly they would talk about the spiritual side, how the Catholics and Lutherans were willing to fight for whichever side paid them. It is unknown if he knew it, but Ippolito was related to another Medici - Caterina de’ Medici. Michael would know her years later when, as the wife of King Henri II of France, she was known as Catherine de Medici.

Finally, Nostradame indulged in a bit of personal vanity. In his day and age, it was a mark of the intelligencia that everyone with a collage education would Latinize their name. Nostradame was certainly vain enough to follow this custom. His first name of Michel was changed to the Latinized version: Michael. As for his surname, he changed the name of Nostradame to the name he is forevermore known as, the name his descendants would bear, the name we will use from this point onward: Nostradamus.

Historical Truths

Kings have often indulged in the vanity of warfare, desiring to enlarge their lands at the expense of others. Even Louis XIV, one of the greatest of France’s monarchs, was fond of war and pursuing his interests in land-grabbing.

Carlos I of Spain, known also as Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire, was one of the most successful rulers who ever played the “Game of Kings,” which was just a polite term for war. He was able to thrust his power throughout much of Europe. He was virtually unopposed, except for those pesky Turks in the Balkans and for the French Kings. With his brilliant and bloodthirsty general the Duc di Alba, he ran rampant throughout Italy, overrunning the Flemish Lowlands and beating France handily. But it is because of Carlos’ love of war that the Turks, under Suleiman the Magnificent, were able to advance up the Balkans and gained dominance in the Mediterranean.

Francis I, the King of France in those days, was forced to ally himself with the Turkish nation against Carlos. This alliance came with a heavy price, including the need to have to build mosques in southern France where Turkish ships of war would call into port. In that religious day and age, such an act was proof of the actual weakness that France suffered against the hated Spanish.

England was considered to be a minor power. Carlos considered the forces of Henry VIII to be laughable. He was totally unconcerned with whatever Henry could do.