The Sad Death Of Nostradamus

The prophetic French astrologer Nostradamus was born Michele De Nostradame on December 14, 1503. He was a very notable figure of the French renaissance era until his untimely death. He published his now famed book The Prophecies in 1555. In the book, Nostradamus wrote a series of quatrain poems predicting a number of global events and situations, as History.com tells us.

He is often credited for foreseeing a number of world incidents. It is believed that he prophesied major historical events like the Great Fire of London, the assassination of President Kennedy, and even the September 11 terror attacks, according to Independent. Others, however, suggest he simply believed that history would repeat itself. History.com cites Peter Lemesurier, a linguist and Nostradamus expert, on the point.

The predictions of Nostradamus have been interpreted and reinterpreted for thousands of years. Some scholars and historians highly regard his prophecies, while others say the vagueness of his writings did not truly predict anything and deem him a quack, according to History. Despite constant debate on the accuracy of his predictions, even after his tragic death Nostradamus is still highly regarded by many as a prophet.  

Nostradamus died in 1566 at the age of 62 in Salon, France, where he was also buried. And naturally it is reported that he even foresaw his own death, according to Encyclopedia.com. His cause of death was allegedly congestive heart failure caused by gout. He had an edge, however; in addition to his study of astrology, he was also a physician.

He reportedly spent years suffering from gout, an inflammatory arthritis condition that can cause swelling. According to the American College of Rheumatology, the illness can cause extreme pain and inflamed joints that can flare up at random. Johns Hopkins Medicine tells us that the disease was once commonly known as the "Disease of Kings," particularly because many Kings in the early centuries developed it — the condition was thought to be caused by overindulgence in rich foods and alcohol. But Nostradamus was also enduring another condition: edema, which can be brought on by untreated gout. Edema also causes swelling in different parts of the body — the Mayo Clinic calls it "excess fluid trapped" in various parts of the body. It is widely believed that at the time of his death, Nostradamus was suffering from those three illnesses at the same time — heart failure, edema, and gout — and was very sick.