 |
 
|
|---|
|
|
|---|
Michael Nostradamus was born around noon on the 14th of December in the year 1503, by the Julian calendar. That would put him on the 26th of December by the Gregorian calendar that we now use. His name at birth was Michel de Nostradame, the French form of his name. He was the eldest child of Jacques and Reynierre de Nostradame.
In his youth, the young Michel displayed signs of a great intellect. Grandfather St. Rémy is reputed to have undertaken the task of teaching him the rudiments of knowledge. Though St. Remy seems to have disappeared in 1504, there seems to be a certain measure of truth behind the claim for somebody taught Michel much of what he knew. Michel got a good grounding in several different studies. He would have had to have got his education in the French language at home – no school in those days taught the basic language of the nation. Also, somebody would certainly have taught the young Michel some history as they walked about the country, for history was not the dry recitation of dead generals as it is today but was celebrated as a living past occurrence. Other studies that were taught Michel we cannot know. But Michel could not have gone to the Université de Avignon without going to the regular schools of his time. Michel naturally went to the local school where he learned, according to the books available from that time, Latin, religion and civility, the required learning in those days.
It is asserted that Grandfather St. Rémy once introduced young Michel to the workings of hidden mental forces. Many are the other books that make this claim. It is, of course, exceedingly unlikely in view of St. Remy's likely death years earlier. Still, it is certainly possible that someone taught it to him. My guess is that his grandmother St. Remy did the deed, it certainly would fit with the then tradition of the wife doing the work and the husband getting the credit. Also, it is true that young Michel would not be as afraid of his powers as most would be, though there is reason to believe that he did get scared of them later on in life.
Young Michel went to the Université de Avignon in 1518, where he studied the standard course of study for an advanced degree. This entailed a heavy focus on religious study with an emphasis on Canon Law and scriptures – a top priority in those days when faith was so important. It also included the detailed study of Latin, this was not only required to read the Bible in those days, it was also the language of the learned. Finally, it included a certain degree of “Liberal Arts,” which was everything else studied. What were the liberal arts? There is a measure of speculation here, but we can make a broad estimate. It is probable that he had some readings of Aristotle, most notably his Logic, Physics and De Anima. Included would be some of the works of Plato, like his Apology and Phaedo, even the Republic. Almost certainly it would include the poetic works of Homer and Virgil, The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Aeneid, the knowledge of which Nostradame would eventually draw upon to write some of his prophecies, as you will see when you read the quatrains. It likely included basic studies in astronomy and astrology, then sister sciences. He almost certainly had to learn rhetoric, dialectic (most likely Plato’s) and music. Finally, he had to learn mathematics, which most likely encompassed Euclidian Geometry and Algebra, the most advanced mathematics of his day. Whatever his coursework, it is documented that he succeeded in all that was required and earned the title Master of Arts, which was absolutely necessary for entry into any of the higher learning establishments of his time.
According to tradition, Nostradame wanted to become an Astronomer/Astrologer at this time. However his parents objected and sent him to Montpellier where he studied medicine. Did it happen this way? Perhaps, but there is another, stronger probability.
One fact that needs to be remembered was the purported incidence of the plague of 1520, which supposedly forced Avignon to close its doors. Nostradame was able to get his degree in 1521, so very likely there was no plague and the school did not close its doors. This said, it is still likely there was some sickness at the time, a sickness that did influence the young Nostradame. With his probable heritage from Grandfather St. Rémy, as well as the sickness, whatever it was, hitting at that moment, he would have taken it as a sign from Heaven. What his career must be was obvious!
Far away, events took shape that would influence the life of Nostradame. In October 1517, Martin Luther reputedly posted his 95 Thesis. It was a scholarly disputation with a theological challenge, most notably Thesis 86 which asked why the Pope, who had such great riches, built St. Peters Basilica using the money of the poor instead of his own money. Translated from the Latin into German, copies of the Thesis spread throughout Europe.
The Pope, Leo X, was used to reformers and heretics and took great care with Luther. He first tried to have Luther brought to Rome for examination, though in the end Luther was confronted by the Papal Legate Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg. The October 1518 hearing degenerated into a shouting match. Before Cajetan could arrest Luther though, Luther slipped away.
Then the Papal Nuncio, Karl von Miltitz, tried a conciliatory approach. Luther made certain concessions to von Miltitz and promised to remain silent if his opponents did. However, theologian Johann Eck staged a public dispute with a colleague of Luther and invited Luther to speak. Luther did and asserted that Matthew 16:18 did not confer on popes the exclusive right to interpret scripture and that neither popes nor church councils were infallible. Eck branded Luther a heretic and devoted himself to Luther’s destruction.
Now Leo acted. He warned Luther within a papal bull that Luther had better recant or face excommunication. Eck proclaimed the bull wherever he went. Von Miltitz tried to broker a solution but Luther was finished with the church; he publicly burned the bull in Wittenburg on December 1520. Leo therefore excommunicated Luther on January 1521.
Luther responded to the excommunication by appearing, as ordered, before the Diet of Worms, the general assembly of the Holy Roman Empire. He had a safe conduct guarantee from Prince Frederick III, elector of Saxony. There his opponent, Eck, presented the heresies, demanded to know if they were Luther’s and demanded to know if Luther stood by them. Luther admitted that they were his and, stating that he was bound to stand by the scriptures, refused to recant any of them. Eck informed Luther that he was acting like a heretic. Luther responded: “Here I stand, I can do no other.”
Escaping from Worms, Luther was brought to Prince Frederick’s Wartburg Castle where he translated the Bible into German and wrote multiple doctrinal and polemical writings. Within a year he returned to Wittenberg and immediately gained a large following. In doing so he unleashed a massive revolt against the Catholic Church. Peasants flocked to Luther's banner, many even became more radical than Luther was. And many nobles embraced Luther's doctrine in order to try to throw off the yoke of the papacy.
The Protestant Revolution, which would play a large role in Nostradame’s life, was born.