Illustration of Nostradamus (1503-66), French physician and astrologer. Born Michel de Notre Dame, Nostradamus rose to prominence as a gifted healer whilst dealing with an outbreak of the plague. From about 1547 he wrote prophesies about the future based on astrological calculations. These were published as Centuries in 1555. The prophecies were written in rhyme and were vague enough to allow a range of interpretations.