WW3: Who was Nostradamus, could he see the future and did he ever predict a World War 3?

His many prophecies are still referenced and he continues to appear in popular culture.

But who exactly was he?

And did he have any predictions about future world wars?

Here’s what you need to know:

Who was Nostradamus?

Born Michel de Nostredame in the 16th century.

He was an astrologer, physician and reputed seer.

His name is usually Latinised as Nostradamus.

He is most famous for his book Les Prophéties, which was a collection of 942 poetic quatrains that were said to predict future events.

Could Nostradamus see the future?

The answer to this is heavily contested.

His supporters claim that he predicted such events as the Great Fire of London, the French Revolution, the rises of Napoleon and Adolf Hitler, both world wars, and the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

But academic research from the 1980s unearthed a lot of personal correspondence and other artifacts that cast doubt on the prophetic nature of his predictions.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth named on hit list of Russia's potential nuclear targets in the UK in World War 3

They found that not one of Nostradamus’s contemporary prophesies listed was backed up by any known contemporary documentary evidence.

Many of his prophecies have also been misinterpreted and wrongly applied to current disasters such as 9/11.

Did Nostradamus predict there would be a WW3?

His supporters claim that the Frenchman foresaw both of the world wars in the 20th century.

According to one Nostradamus specialist, a Third World War could occur ‘within the next several years’.

'Nostradamus believes it will be a great protracted war, 25 to 29 years, followed by lesser battles,' he stated last year.

But once again it needs stating that academics have long poured cold water on the so-called ‘prophetic’ nature of Nostradamus’ writings.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Subscribe here for unlimited access to all our coverage, including Pompey, for just 26p a day.