Mystery Files (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Nostradamus - full transcript
Join historical investigators as they dissect one of history's most controversial astrological books...and its author.
NARRATOR: Mystic, prophet,
seer of the future.
Nostradamus.
Arguably the world's
most famous astrologer.
He is credited with
forecasting some
of the most dramatic
and shocking
events of the last 450 years.
It's extraordinary
how people want
Nostradamus to have been right.
NARRATOR: Did this
French prophet really
see these major disasters?
It's time for historians
and astrologers
to examine Nostradamus's
calculations
and attempt to decode
his prophecies,
as we open the mystery
files on Nostradamus.
[theme music]
NARRATOR: The beginning
of a new millennium,
and the September
11th catastrophe,
reputedly predicted
over 450 years ago.
PETER LEMESURIER[VOICEOVER]: Latitude 45,
the sky shall burn.
To great new city shall
the fire draw an eye.
With vehemence, the
flames shall spread
and churn, when with theNormans
they conclusions try.
NARRATOR: Desperately
seeking ways
to make sense of
this terrible act,
it takes just a
few days for people
to connect the words of
16thcentury astrologer Nostradamus
with the tragedy on 9/11, 2001.
Historian lan Wilson
haspieced together the story
of Nostradamus's life and work.
What amazed me was how
quicksomething like England's "Daily
Mail" was in associating
Nostradamus with having
predicted the event.
NARRATOR: The twin towersattack
is a recent example
of the writings of
Michel Nostradamus
being linked to modern events.
This prolific astrologer
drew up thousands
of, predictions but
his fame has endured
because of this single
book, "Les Propheties."
Within it are 942
strange predictions,
which, since that
publication in 1555,
have been attributed to many
ofhistory's major turning points.
IAN WILSON: In the
case of World War II,
his references to
Hister were regarded
as being references to Hitler.
You can go back,
andNapoleon has been considered,
the Great Fire of London
has been considered.
NARRATOR: Over the
last four centuries,
many people have believedthat
Nostradamus had foreseen
such conflicts as the
French Revolution,
and the great wars
of the 20th century,
and even details like
the assassination
of American President
John F Kennedy,
and finally, a great apocalypse.
But the true meaning
of his prophecies
remains elusive,
almost asmuch as his own life story.
Modern day experts are
nowpiecing together the facts
and uncovering the
secrets of Nostradamus's
prophetic talents.
He Is born in 1503 in asmall
rural village, St. Remy
de Provence in southern France.
He does not start
his working life
as an astrologer,
but as an apothecary,
traveling the countryside,
peddling his cures.
It is only in his
late 40s that he
turns to a career in astrology.
No one knows exactly
whyNostradamus starts foretelling
the future, but the
skills for this new work
would have been gainedduring
his days as a student.
In the 16th century,
astrology is considered
a precise science,
with carefulcalculations required to reach
the correct predictions.
Such techniques
need to be learned.
Evidence of
Nostradamus's training
comes from a nearby universityof
historic Montpellier.
This enrollment document
reveals that one,
Michel de Nostradam,
from Remy, signs up
as a medical student in 1529.
At this time,
medicine and astrology
are intrinsically linked.
IAN WILSON: It was
beforeastronomical instruments had
taken an understanding
of the planets
to a completely new and
different dimension.
So people really did stillthink
that, you know,
Mars or Venus might
be influencing
their everyday actions.
Monica Azzzolini is anexpert
in Renaissance science
and astrology.
Astrology was fundamentalfor
astronomy, but even more
so for medicine at the time.
All continental
universities would
have had a professorteaching
astrology as part
of the medical curriculum.
NARRATOR: During his studies,
26-year-old Nostradamus
would have to learn
about anatomical maps
called zodiac men, and
how to compare them
with astrological charts
in order to calculate
his medical treatments.
There is the practice
ofcasting a chart at the moment
the patient falls sick,
and using this chart
would help the physicianprovide
a diagnosis, and also
a prognosis.
NARRATOR: They believe
thatthe workings of the body
are influenced by the positionsof the
sun, moon, and planets.
MONICA AZZOLINI: The
humanbody in the Renaissance
is understood in a
completelydifferent way from the way
we understand it today.
NARRATOR: The moon,
for example, is thought
to affect the flow of
blood around the body,
like the tides in the oceans.
It is a foolhardy
physician who operates
on a part of the anatomy
overwhich the moon is aligned.
It is believed that the
patientwill likely bleed to death.
At Montpellier,
Nostradamus would
have received some of
thebest astrological training
in France.
But nearly two decadeslater,
now living in Salon de
Provence, he appears to
be using these skills
for a different purpose,
thatof foretelling the future.
Peter Lemesurier has
spent more than 10 years
analyzing in depthNostradamus's prophecies.
We know he wrote at
least 7,280 predictions,
and most of those
are in his almanacs.
NARRATOR: The majority
ofNostradamus's predictions
come not from the
prophecies book,
but from almanacs,
booklets of predictions
for the year, which
he publishes from 1550
until his death in 1566.
PETER LEMESURIER:
During his lifetime,
Nostradamus was writing
annualalmanacs, sometimes two a year,
sometimes three, that
were sold on the streets
at the annual fairs..
IAN WILSON: It was quite
awidespread industry for people
to buy cheap predictions,
along with basically
what was their sort of
calendar for the year.
NARRATOR: These almanacs
aredesigned for a mass market.
PETER LEMESURIER: One has
tobear in mind that Nostradamus
is writing only about a centuryafter
the invention of printing
with movable type.
It was, if you like,
the IT of the day,
a new technology,
and Nostradamus
made full use of it.
NARRATOR: To
supplement his income,
Nostradamus also draws
uphoroscopes for private clients,
predicting the highs andlows
of their personal lives.
MONICA AZZOLINI: Astrology
in the early part
of the Renaissance is
verymuch an elite discipline,
but increasingly becomes
more common to have
one's horoscope cast.
IAN WILSON: He had clientsfrom
every walk of life.
He became a very wealthy man.
He was onto a very
nice little earner
when it comes down to it.
NARRATOR: These
almanacs and horoscopes
are not only important
as a source of income,
they make Nostradamus famous.
IAN WILSON: There
can be no doubt
that Nostradamus
in his own lifetime
achieved a huge reputation,
not only with his own country
of France, but overseas.
NARRATOR: This shows
the high level of belief
in his powers of prediction.
In the 16th century,
peopleare trying to understand
the world around them.
Everybody assumed that
the end of the world
was nigh, because disease,
andfamine, and death, and war,
they were all over Europe.
The prevailing sentimentin the Renaissance
was a mix of fear and belief.
So the only thing that couldsave
you from fear was belief.
NARRATOR: Nostradamus
notonly recognizes this need,
but takes full advantage of it.
In time, he becomes known
bythe highest powers in France.
IAN WILSON: He put in a oneor
two intriguing predictions.
He says well, the King needsto
watch for it this year.
And that, of course, is
what caused him to be
called to the royal court.
NARRATOR: Having enteredthe
circles of high society,
he becomes a favorite
of many royals,
including Catherine de
Medici, Queen of France,
and her husband, King Henry II.
IAN WILSON: King Henry
II of France consulted
Nostradamus's almanac each day.
NARRATOR: Nostradamus'shigh
level of credibility
becomes clear when,
in 1559, Henry
dies in a freak joustingaccident
after a splinter goes
into his eye.
IAN WILSON: Then the
countrydisintegrated into chaos,
and that is just the
kind of meat and drink
to people who are prophetsof
doom, like Nostradamus.
NARRATOR: Though Nostradamusdoes
not predict the details
of the event, popular
belief in his skills
is so great that Henry'swidow,
Catherine de Medici,
turns to him for reassurance
of a happier future.
Such is her confidence
in his abilities,
she even comes here to a
chateau in his hometown
to see the prophet.
And Catherine is
notNostradamus's only royal fan.
IAN WILSON: Crowned
heads consulted him,
because if a prince was bornthey
wanted to know what future
that young prince might have.
And then ordinary
people consulted him.
People want to know how
long they would live,
whether they would
inherit a fortune.
NARRATOR: When PrinceRudolph
becomes next in line
to rule the vast Holy
RomanEmpire, which covers most
of central Europe,
it isNostradamus who is called
to draw up his horoscope.
However, the story
becomes more complex.
There are others who,
duringNostradamus's lifetime,
fundamentally
question his talent.
Nostradamus is not
the only astrologer
in 16th century France.
There is some
serious competition
in the prophetic market.
IAN WILSON: One diarist
speaks of Paris, which
had a population
of about 200,000,
that there were 30,000people
practicing astrology.
Now I don't believe that figure,
but I think that does give you
an indication that astrologers
were a strong profession
at that time.
NARRATOR: His
astrological rivals
are far more critical
of Nostradamus
than his royal patrons.
As the archives of
theBibliotheque Nationale in Paris
reveal.
MAN 1 [VOICEOVER]: You
showyourself to be so ignorant
that it is impossible
to find anyone to whom
you are second in ignorance.
MAN 2 [VOICEOVER]:
It is certain you
have no idea how to calculateby the
sky, nor by any table.
MAN 3 [VOICEOVER]: Don't
yousee how much the language
of this vile driveler is inane?
How can you support
this man who mocks
you with his self-confidence.
IAN WILSON: He certainlyattracted
some vicious comments
from fellow astrologists.
NARRATOR: They accuseNostradamus
of bad practice
in drawing up his predictions.
There is one obvious root
cause of this criticism.
IAN WILSON: You can attributethis
to a lot of jealousy.
These people resented
Nostradamus's fame.
They would try and criticizehim
any way they could.
NARRATOR: But there is
alsosome historical evidence
to suggest their
complaintscould have foundation.
Historians have discoveredthat
Nostradamus may not
have completed his
earliermedical and astrological
training at
Montpellier University.
IAN WILSON: There is preserveda
record of Nostradamus's
registration as a
medicalstudent, followed almost
immediately by a striking out.
NARRATOR: This second
registration document
appears to show that Nostradamusis
expelled from the school.
His name is struck
off the student list
with a note in
the margin, citing
his earlier profession
as an apothecary,
or quack, as the reason.
At the time, apothecaries,
deemed a lesser profession,
are often barred from
becoming physicians.
There is also further
evidence to indicate
he leaves his course early.
IAN WILSON: In 1533,
Nostradamusis recorded as a physician
in Agen and that shows
hecertainly wasn't continuing
his work at Montpellier.
NARRATOR: The medical degreetakes
nine years to complete.
But Nostradamus is already
apracticing physician in Agen,
over 270 kilometers tothe
west, just four years
after he starts his education.
IAN WILSON: It seemsunlikely
that he finishes
his course at Montpellier.
I think his astrological
training was something
he picked up along the way.
NARRATOR: Nostradamus's
critics could
have a basis for their claimsthat
his prophecies are flawed.
The search for evidence
of mistakes, experts
have analyzed his
prophetic work.
Few of his horoscopes
have survived,
but the details of
one that has, as
transcribed in a
contemporary diary,
can be compared against
historical fact.
In the horoscope of
one Antoine Sufraine,
written when he was young.
Nostradamus says he wouldbecome
bearded, brown teethed,
and bent backed.
He would quarrel with
hisbrothers and live until 75.
In reality, Antoine turns outclean
shaven, with good teeth,
and straight backed,
has no family squabbles,
and dies at 54.
IAN WILSON: Nostradamus
made a whole series
of fundamental errors
in that instance.
This is the interesting thing.
When he was specific,
hecould be wildly inaccurate.
NARRATOR: However,
experts think Nostradamus
has a get out clause.
MONICA AZZOLINI:
Astrologyin the Renaissance
is believed to be a
predictive science,
is a conjectural science,
andtherefore it can be precise,
but you leave room
for free will.
So astrologers are
remarkablyskillful in leaving
enough room for maneuver
andenough space for other things
to happen.
NARRATOR: Sufraine's
horoscope is drawn up
when he is a child,
leaving plenty of room
for his own free will
to kick in as an adult.
The loophole with horoscopesmay
explain, even justify
the errors in prediction.
The only way to get tothe
heart of Nostradamus's
astrological skills
is to examine
the birth charts on whichhis
horoscopes are based.
Modern day astrologer
Paul Wade sets out
to test Nostradamus's
methodology,
and as he explains,
thisis not an area for debate.
PAUL WADE: When you'redrawing
up a birth chart,
your calculations are either
correct or they're not.
Prophecies, they're
open to a certain amount
of interpretation,
conjecture, perhaps.
But calculations are
eitherright or they're not.
NARRATOR: Wade is looking
atsome of Nostradamus's birth
charts, which are used
byastrologers as the basis
for a person's horoscope.
The chart is a symbolic
view of the heavens
and the precise time and
exact location at birth.
A snapshot of the sky.
He has drafted his
own shots to compare
against Nostradamus's work.
I have taken his birth
data as Nostradamus
had it on the chart,
usinglargely the same conventions he
would have used,
prettymuch from the point of view
of just checking his maths.
NARRATOR: The chart is made
up of distinct elements.
The first are the
12constellations, or signs,
which sit in a narrow
band called a zodiac.
Within this, the planets, sun,
and moon travel, moving in
and out of the various signs.
Astrologers then
subdivide the chart
into 12 sections of aperson's
life, called houses.
The chart shows the exact
position of the planets
within the signs and houses
atthe moment of a person's birth.
These calculations are the basisfor
the astrologer's horoscope.
If any were wrong,
the resultinghoroscope or interpretation
would also be incorrect.
Wade has examined two
birthcharts, that of Johannes
Rosenberger and Prince Rudolph.
PAUL WADE: I didn't agree
100%on any of his calculations,
but the majority werewithin
a couple of degrees.
Some errors, I think
you'd be nitpicking
to come down on a guy
500 years ago for that.
NARRATOR: But there appears
tobe one mistake in the Rudolph
chart which is significant.
The moon was actuallyplaced
in the wrong sign.
NARRATOR: Wade has calculatedthat
the moon should have been
in the sign of cancer atthe
time of Rudolph's birth,
whereas Nostradamus had
placed it in Gemini.
PAUL WADE: The moon is one ofthe
most important astrological
features.
Somebody with the moon
in Gemini needs to talk,
leads a social life.
Someone with the moon inCancer
needs a home and family.
It's a completelydifferent interpretation.
So that was a big errorin
terms of calculations.
NARRATOR: Wade has alsofound
some serious mistakes
in the layout of the charts.
Some of the planets andother
astrological features
are placed in the wrong houses.
It appears that
I need two of them
are actually plotted
in the correct houses.
So that is pretty appalling.
If you've got eight out
of the 10 chart features
in the wrong house,
it throwsyour astrological technique
into serious doubts.
NARRATOR: These inaccuraciesare
exactly what enrages
Nostradamus's contemporaries.
If you are interpretingcompletely
the wrong placings,
then by definition,
yourinterpretations will be flawed.
NARRATOR: If Nostradamus's
astrological skills
are unsound, the predictionsin
his well-known book "Les
Propheties" are thereforealso
called into question,
because he claims
in its introduction
that these prophecies
are drawn up
through astrologicalexegesis,
or interpretation.
Peter Lemesurier has
painstakingly examined
each prediction in this book.
He has discovered
a damning evidence
that Nostradamus
produced his forecasts
by plagiarizing earlier books.
PETER LEMESURIER: There are942
predictions in the book.
We've traced about 655
ofthem back to earlier books.
And of those, 139 taken
from a really important
anthology of prophecies
from the time,
called the Mirabilis Liber.
NARRATOR: The Mirabilis Liberis
a collection of prophecies
from medieval sources,
published in 1522,
33 years before Nostradamus's
"Les Propheties,"
and it appears not to
be his only source.
Nostradamus drew a
great deal on the past.
Various characters appear inhis
verses, Hannibal, Nero,
Alexander the Great,
JuliusCaesar, and in his almanacs,
there's actually Pompey,
Augustus Caesar, Mark
Antony, they're all in there.
NARRATOR: Lemesurierthinks
these classic texts
are the basis for most
ofNostradamus's predictions.
The prophecy connected with
9/11 is a clear example.
PETER LEMESURIER: Therewere
two Nostradamus verses
that were commonly quotedabout
the twin towers disaster.
Perhaps the main one was
the97th verse of century six.
I have translated
it as "Latitude 45,
the sky shall burn.
The a great new cityshall
the fire draw nigh.
With vehemence the
flames shall spread
and churn, when with theNormans
they conclusions try."
NARRATOR: Lemesurier
measure has decoded
each section of the prophecy.
PETER LEMESURIER: Well,
NewYork City isn't on latitude 45,
it's 41 and a bit.
It's Naples.
Naples is Neapolis
in Greek, new city.
And the Normans, what
on earth the Normans
are supposed to have to
dowith multicultural New York,
I'm not too sure.
Though, it's
obviously a reference
back to an event of 1139.
And it refers to theNorman
capture of Naples,
when Vesuvius, right nextto
it, the sky shall burn,
the great new city,
shall a fire draw night.
Vesuvius was in eruption,
and at the time, [inaudible]
the Normans were
attacking the city.
NARRATOR: His processes seemto
be a patchwork of ideas,
copying from old predictions
andby recycling historical events.
PETER LEMESURIER:
Nostradamus based
his prophetic work on the
ideathat history repeats itself.
The idea being that historyis
made by human beings,
and human beings don't
change, therefore,
history doesn't change.
It's coming around again.
NARRATOR: Our experts
believethe evidence is clear.
IAN WILSON: I'm quiteconfident
that Nostradamus
has no capacity to
predict the future.
I imagine Nostradamus
could predict the future
in much the same way
as you or I could,
but not much beyond that.
NARRATOR: Yet, such is
the mystique surrounding
Nostradamus that for
over four centuries
people have chosen not
to question too deeply.
Instead, selectively
interpreting his words
to fit events.
However, one prediction
is crystal clear,
because it never happened.
Despite the popular belief
thathe forecasts an apocalypse,
Nostradamus's
predictions actually
continue into the
fourth millennium,
and then simply peter out.
The only thing you can sayand
take some comfort from,
is the fact that if
hecould predict the future,
then we're OK until about 3797.
NARRATOR: But if the past
is anything to go by,
these revelations about
his prophetic talents
probably won't
stop people wanting
to believe that Nostradamusholds
the key to the future.
[theme music]
seer of the future.
Nostradamus.
Arguably the world's
most famous astrologer.
He is credited with
forecasting some
of the most dramatic
and shocking
events of the last 450 years.
It's extraordinary
how people want
Nostradamus to have been right.
NARRATOR: Did this
French prophet really
see these major disasters?
It's time for historians
and astrologers
to examine Nostradamus's
calculations
and attempt to decode
his prophecies,
as we open the mystery
files on Nostradamus.
[theme music]
NARRATOR: The beginning
of a new millennium,
and the September
11th catastrophe,
reputedly predicted
over 450 years ago.
PETER LEMESURIER[VOICEOVER]: Latitude 45,
the sky shall burn.
To great new city shall
the fire draw an eye.
With vehemence, the
flames shall spread
and churn, when with theNormans
they conclusions try.
NARRATOR: Desperately
seeking ways
to make sense of
this terrible act,
it takes just a
few days for people
to connect the words of
16thcentury astrologer Nostradamus
with the tragedy on 9/11, 2001.
Historian lan Wilson
haspieced together the story
of Nostradamus's life and work.
What amazed me was how
quicksomething like England's "Daily
Mail" was in associating
Nostradamus with having
predicted the event.
NARRATOR: The twin towersattack
is a recent example
of the writings of
Michel Nostradamus
being linked to modern events.
This prolific astrologer
drew up thousands
of, predictions but
his fame has endured
because of this single
book, "Les Propheties."
Within it are 942
strange predictions,
which, since that
publication in 1555,
have been attributed to many
ofhistory's major turning points.
IAN WILSON: In the
case of World War II,
his references to
Hister were regarded
as being references to Hitler.
You can go back,
andNapoleon has been considered,
the Great Fire of London
has been considered.
NARRATOR: Over the
last four centuries,
many people have believedthat
Nostradamus had foreseen
such conflicts as the
French Revolution,
and the great wars
of the 20th century,
and even details like
the assassination
of American President
John F Kennedy,
and finally, a great apocalypse.
But the true meaning
of his prophecies
remains elusive,
almost asmuch as his own life story.
Modern day experts are
nowpiecing together the facts
and uncovering the
secrets of Nostradamus's
prophetic talents.
He Is born in 1503 in asmall
rural village, St. Remy
de Provence in southern France.
He does not start
his working life
as an astrologer,
but as an apothecary,
traveling the countryside,
peddling his cures.
It is only in his
late 40s that he
turns to a career in astrology.
No one knows exactly
whyNostradamus starts foretelling
the future, but the
skills for this new work
would have been gainedduring
his days as a student.
In the 16th century,
astrology is considered
a precise science,
with carefulcalculations required to reach
the correct predictions.
Such techniques
need to be learned.
Evidence of
Nostradamus's training
comes from a nearby universityof
historic Montpellier.
This enrollment document
reveals that one,
Michel de Nostradam,
from Remy, signs up
as a medical student in 1529.
At this time,
medicine and astrology
are intrinsically linked.
IAN WILSON: It was
beforeastronomical instruments had
taken an understanding
of the planets
to a completely new and
different dimension.
So people really did stillthink
that, you know,
Mars or Venus might
be influencing
their everyday actions.
Monica Azzzolini is anexpert
in Renaissance science
and astrology.
Astrology was fundamentalfor
astronomy, but even more
so for medicine at the time.
All continental
universities would
have had a professorteaching
astrology as part
of the medical curriculum.
NARRATOR: During his studies,
26-year-old Nostradamus
would have to learn
about anatomical maps
called zodiac men, and
how to compare them
with astrological charts
in order to calculate
his medical treatments.
There is the practice
ofcasting a chart at the moment
the patient falls sick,
and using this chart
would help the physicianprovide
a diagnosis, and also
a prognosis.
NARRATOR: They believe
thatthe workings of the body
are influenced by the positionsof the
sun, moon, and planets.
MONICA AZZOLINI: The
humanbody in the Renaissance
is understood in a
completelydifferent way from the way
we understand it today.
NARRATOR: The moon,
for example, is thought
to affect the flow of
blood around the body,
like the tides in the oceans.
It is a foolhardy
physician who operates
on a part of the anatomy
overwhich the moon is aligned.
It is believed that the
patientwill likely bleed to death.
At Montpellier,
Nostradamus would
have received some of
thebest astrological training
in France.
But nearly two decadeslater,
now living in Salon de
Provence, he appears to
be using these skills
for a different purpose,
thatof foretelling the future.
Peter Lemesurier has
spent more than 10 years
analyzing in depthNostradamus's prophecies.
We know he wrote at
least 7,280 predictions,
and most of those
are in his almanacs.
NARRATOR: The majority
ofNostradamus's predictions
come not from the
prophecies book,
but from almanacs,
booklets of predictions
for the year, which
he publishes from 1550
until his death in 1566.
PETER LEMESURIER:
During his lifetime,
Nostradamus was writing
annualalmanacs, sometimes two a year,
sometimes three, that
were sold on the streets
at the annual fairs..
IAN WILSON: It was quite
awidespread industry for people
to buy cheap predictions,
along with basically
what was their sort of
calendar for the year.
NARRATOR: These almanacs
aredesigned for a mass market.
PETER LEMESURIER: One has
tobear in mind that Nostradamus
is writing only about a centuryafter
the invention of printing
with movable type.
It was, if you like,
the IT of the day,
a new technology,
and Nostradamus
made full use of it.
NARRATOR: To
supplement his income,
Nostradamus also draws
uphoroscopes for private clients,
predicting the highs andlows
of their personal lives.
MONICA AZZOLINI: Astrology
in the early part
of the Renaissance is
verymuch an elite discipline,
but increasingly becomes
more common to have
one's horoscope cast.
IAN WILSON: He had clientsfrom
every walk of life.
He became a very wealthy man.
He was onto a very
nice little earner
when it comes down to it.
NARRATOR: These
almanacs and horoscopes
are not only important
as a source of income,
they make Nostradamus famous.
IAN WILSON: There
can be no doubt
that Nostradamus
in his own lifetime
achieved a huge reputation,
not only with his own country
of France, but overseas.
NARRATOR: This shows
the high level of belief
in his powers of prediction.
In the 16th century,
peopleare trying to understand
the world around them.
Everybody assumed that
the end of the world
was nigh, because disease,
andfamine, and death, and war,
they were all over Europe.
The prevailing sentimentin the Renaissance
was a mix of fear and belief.
So the only thing that couldsave
you from fear was belief.
NARRATOR: Nostradamus
notonly recognizes this need,
but takes full advantage of it.
In time, he becomes known
bythe highest powers in France.
IAN WILSON: He put in a oneor
two intriguing predictions.
He says well, the King needsto
watch for it this year.
And that, of course, is
what caused him to be
called to the royal court.
NARRATOR: Having enteredthe
circles of high society,
he becomes a favorite
of many royals,
including Catherine de
Medici, Queen of France,
and her husband, King Henry II.
IAN WILSON: King Henry
II of France consulted
Nostradamus's almanac each day.
NARRATOR: Nostradamus'shigh
level of credibility
becomes clear when,
in 1559, Henry
dies in a freak joustingaccident
after a splinter goes
into his eye.
IAN WILSON: Then the
countrydisintegrated into chaos,
and that is just the
kind of meat and drink
to people who are prophetsof
doom, like Nostradamus.
NARRATOR: Though Nostradamusdoes
not predict the details
of the event, popular
belief in his skills
is so great that Henry'swidow,
Catherine de Medici,
turns to him for reassurance
of a happier future.
Such is her confidence
in his abilities,
she even comes here to a
chateau in his hometown
to see the prophet.
And Catherine is
notNostradamus's only royal fan.
IAN WILSON: Crowned
heads consulted him,
because if a prince was bornthey
wanted to know what future
that young prince might have.
And then ordinary
people consulted him.
People want to know how
long they would live,
whether they would
inherit a fortune.
NARRATOR: When PrinceRudolph
becomes next in line
to rule the vast Holy
RomanEmpire, which covers most
of central Europe,
it isNostradamus who is called
to draw up his horoscope.
However, the story
becomes more complex.
There are others who,
duringNostradamus's lifetime,
fundamentally
question his talent.
Nostradamus is not
the only astrologer
in 16th century France.
There is some
serious competition
in the prophetic market.
IAN WILSON: One diarist
speaks of Paris, which
had a population
of about 200,000,
that there were 30,000people
practicing astrology.
Now I don't believe that figure,
but I think that does give you
an indication that astrologers
were a strong profession
at that time.
NARRATOR: His
astrological rivals
are far more critical
of Nostradamus
than his royal patrons.
As the archives of
theBibliotheque Nationale in Paris
reveal.
MAN 1 [VOICEOVER]: You
showyourself to be so ignorant
that it is impossible
to find anyone to whom
you are second in ignorance.
MAN 2 [VOICEOVER]:
It is certain you
have no idea how to calculateby the
sky, nor by any table.
MAN 3 [VOICEOVER]: Don't
yousee how much the language
of this vile driveler is inane?
How can you support
this man who mocks
you with his self-confidence.
IAN WILSON: He certainlyattracted
some vicious comments
from fellow astrologists.
NARRATOR: They accuseNostradamus
of bad practice
in drawing up his predictions.
There is one obvious root
cause of this criticism.
IAN WILSON: You can attributethis
to a lot of jealousy.
These people resented
Nostradamus's fame.
They would try and criticizehim
any way they could.
NARRATOR: But there is
alsosome historical evidence
to suggest their
complaintscould have foundation.
Historians have discoveredthat
Nostradamus may not
have completed his
earliermedical and astrological
training at
Montpellier University.
IAN WILSON: There is preserveda
record of Nostradamus's
registration as a
medicalstudent, followed almost
immediately by a striking out.
NARRATOR: This second
registration document
appears to show that Nostradamusis
expelled from the school.
His name is struck
off the student list
with a note in
the margin, citing
his earlier profession
as an apothecary,
or quack, as the reason.
At the time, apothecaries,
deemed a lesser profession,
are often barred from
becoming physicians.
There is also further
evidence to indicate
he leaves his course early.
IAN WILSON: In 1533,
Nostradamusis recorded as a physician
in Agen and that shows
hecertainly wasn't continuing
his work at Montpellier.
NARRATOR: The medical degreetakes
nine years to complete.
But Nostradamus is already
apracticing physician in Agen,
over 270 kilometers tothe
west, just four years
after he starts his education.
IAN WILSON: It seemsunlikely
that he finishes
his course at Montpellier.
I think his astrological
training was something
he picked up along the way.
NARRATOR: Nostradamus's
critics could
have a basis for their claimsthat
his prophecies are flawed.
The search for evidence
of mistakes, experts
have analyzed his
prophetic work.
Few of his horoscopes
have survived,
but the details of
one that has, as
transcribed in a
contemporary diary,
can be compared against
historical fact.
In the horoscope of
one Antoine Sufraine,
written when he was young.
Nostradamus says he wouldbecome
bearded, brown teethed,
and bent backed.
He would quarrel with
hisbrothers and live until 75.
In reality, Antoine turns outclean
shaven, with good teeth,
and straight backed,
has no family squabbles,
and dies at 54.
IAN WILSON: Nostradamus
made a whole series
of fundamental errors
in that instance.
This is the interesting thing.
When he was specific,
hecould be wildly inaccurate.
NARRATOR: However,
experts think Nostradamus
has a get out clause.
MONICA AZZOLINI:
Astrologyin the Renaissance
is believed to be a
predictive science,
is a conjectural science,
andtherefore it can be precise,
but you leave room
for free will.
So astrologers are
remarkablyskillful in leaving
enough room for maneuver
andenough space for other things
to happen.
NARRATOR: Sufraine's
horoscope is drawn up
when he is a child,
leaving plenty of room
for his own free will
to kick in as an adult.
The loophole with horoscopesmay
explain, even justify
the errors in prediction.
The only way to get tothe
heart of Nostradamus's
astrological skills
is to examine
the birth charts on whichhis
horoscopes are based.
Modern day astrologer
Paul Wade sets out
to test Nostradamus's
methodology,
and as he explains,
thisis not an area for debate.
PAUL WADE: When you'redrawing
up a birth chart,
your calculations are either
correct or they're not.
Prophecies, they're
open to a certain amount
of interpretation,
conjecture, perhaps.
But calculations are
eitherright or they're not.
NARRATOR: Wade is looking
atsome of Nostradamus's birth
charts, which are used
byastrologers as the basis
for a person's horoscope.
The chart is a symbolic
view of the heavens
and the precise time and
exact location at birth.
A snapshot of the sky.
He has drafted his
own shots to compare
against Nostradamus's work.
I have taken his birth
data as Nostradamus
had it on the chart,
usinglargely the same conventions he
would have used,
prettymuch from the point of view
of just checking his maths.
NARRATOR: The chart is made
up of distinct elements.
The first are the
12constellations, or signs,
which sit in a narrow
band called a zodiac.
Within this, the planets, sun,
and moon travel, moving in
and out of the various signs.
Astrologers then
subdivide the chart
into 12 sections of aperson's
life, called houses.
The chart shows the exact
position of the planets
within the signs and houses
atthe moment of a person's birth.
These calculations are the basisfor
the astrologer's horoscope.
If any were wrong,
the resultinghoroscope or interpretation
would also be incorrect.
Wade has examined two
birthcharts, that of Johannes
Rosenberger and Prince Rudolph.
PAUL WADE: I didn't agree
100%on any of his calculations,
but the majority werewithin
a couple of degrees.
Some errors, I think
you'd be nitpicking
to come down on a guy
500 years ago for that.
NARRATOR: But there appears
tobe one mistake in the Rudolph
chart which is significant.
The moon was actuallyplaced
in the wrong sign.
NARRATOR: Wade has calculatedthat
the moon should have been
in the sign of cancer atthe
time of Rudolph's birth,
whereas Nostradamus had
placed it in Gemini.
PAUL WADE: The moon is one ofthe
most important astrological
features.
Somebody with the moon
in Gemini needs to talk,
leads a social life.
Someone with the moon inCancer
needs a home and family.
It's a completelydifferent interpretation.
So that was a big errorin
terms of calculations.
NARRATOR: Wade has alsofound
some serious mistakes
in the layout of the charts.
Some of the planets andother
astrological features
are placed in the wrong houses.
It appears that
I need two of them
are actually plotted
in the correct houses.
So that is pretty appalling.
If you've got eight out
of the 10 chart features
in the wrong house,
it throwsyour astrological technique
into serious doubts.
NARRATOR: These inaccuraciesare
exactly what enrages
Nostradamus's contemporaries.
If you are interpretingcompletely
the wrong placings,
then by definition,
yourinterpretations will be flawed.
NARRATOR: If Nostradamus's
astrological skills
are unsound, the predictionsin
his well-known book "Les
Propheties" are thereforealso
called into question,
because he claims
in its introduction
that these prophecies
are drawn up
through astrologicalexegesis,
or interpretation.
Peter Lemesurier has
painstakingly examined
each prediction in this book.
He has discovered
a damning evidence
that Nostradamus
produced his forecasts
by plagiarizing earlier books.
PETER LEMESURIER: There are942
predictions in the book.
We've traced about 655
ofthem back to earlier books.
And of those, 139 taken
from a really important
anthology of prophecies
from the time,
called the Mirabilis Liber.
NARRATOR: The Mirabilis Liberis
a collection of prophecies
from medieval sources,
published in 1522,
33 years before Nostradamus's
"Les Propheties,"
and it appears not to
be his only source.
Nostradamus drew a
great deal on the past.
Various characters appear inhis
verses, Hannibal, Nero,
Alexander the Great,
JuliusCaesar, and in his almanacs,
there's actually Pompey,
Augustus Caesar, Mark
Antony, they're all in there.
NARRATOR: Lemesurierthinks
these classic texts
are the basis for most
ofNostradamus's predictions.
The prophecy connected with
9/11 is a clear example.
PETER LEMESURIER: Therewere
two Nostradamus verses
that were commonly quotedabout
the twin towers disaster.
Perhaps the main one was
the97th verse of century six.
I have translated
it as "Latitude 45,
the sky shall burn.
The a great new cityshall
the fire draw nigh.
With vehemence the
flames shall spread
and churn, when with theNormans
they conclusions try."
NARRATOR: Lemesurier
measure has decoded
each section of the prophecy.
PETER LEMESURIER: Well,
NewYork City isn't on latitude 45,
it's 41 and a bit.
It's Naples.
Naples is Neapolis
in Greek, new city.
And the Normans, what
on earth the Normans
are supposed to have to
dowith multicultural New York,
I'm not too sure.
Though, it's
obviously a reference
back to an event of 1139.
And it refers to theNorman
capture of Naples,
when Vesuvius, right nextto
it, the sky shall burn,
the great new city,
shall a fire draw night.
Vesuvius was in eruption,
and at the time, [inaudible]
the Normans were
attacking the city.
NARRATOR: His processes seemto
be a patchwork of ideas,
copying from old predictions
andby recycling historical events.
PETER LEMESURIER:
Nostradamus based
his prophetic work on the
ideathat history repeats itself.
The idea being that historyis
made by human beings,
and human beings don't
change, therefore,
history doesn't change.
It's coming around again.
NARRATOR: Our experts
believethe evidence is clear.
IAN WILSON: I'm quiteconfident
that Nostradamus
has no capacity to
predict the future.
I imagine Nostradamus
could predict the future
in much the same way
as you or I could,
but not much beyond that.
NARRATOR: Yet, such is
the mystique surrounding
Nostradamus that for
over four centuries
people have chosen not
to question too deeply.
Instead, selectively
interpreting his words
to fit events.
However, one prediction
is crystal clear,
because it never happened.
Despite the popular belief
thathe forecasts an apocalypse,
Nostradamus's
predictions actually
continue into the
fourth millennium,
and then simply peter out.
The only thing you can sayand
take some comfort from,
is the fact that if
hecould predict the future,
then we're OK until about 3797.
NARRATOR: But if the past
is anything to go by,
these revelations about
his prophetic talents
probably won't
stop people wanting
to believe that Nostradamusholds
the key to the future.
[theme music]