Michel de Nostredame
(21 December 1503 - 2 July 1566), usually called Nostradamus, was a French apothecary & seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide.

He is best known for his book Les Propheties ("The Prophecies"), the first edition of which appeared in 1555. Nostradamus has attracted a following that, along with the popular press, credits him with predicting many major world events. The prophecies have in some cases been assimilated to the results of applying the alleged Bible code, as well as to other purported prophetic works.

In The Prophecies he compiled his collection of major, long-term predictions. The first installment was published in 1555. The second, with 289 further prophetic verses, was printed in 1557. The third edition, with three hundred new quatrains, was reportedly printed in 1558, but now only survives as part of the omnibus edition that was published after his death in 1568. This version contains one unrhymed and 941 rhymed quatrains, grouped into nine sets of 100 and one of 42, called "Centuries".