by Robert A. Nelson
2000
 

The 16th century French doctor Michel Nostradamus (de Notredame) is widely considered to be the greatest prophet of all time, though Christians balk at the claim (dogma rules that the Bible is foremost). Nostradamus began to discover his prophetic abilities in 1547:

"In 1554, I decided to give way and, by dark and cryptic sentences, tell of the causes of the future mutation of mankind, especially the most urgent ones... in a manner that would not upset fragile sentiments. All had to be written under a cloudy form, above all things prophetic...

His predictions "extend from now to the year 3797". Nostradamus first wrote his quatrains in plain Old French, and he included names and dates. Then he rewrote them in a complex code of acronyms, anagrams, apocopes, synechdoches, ellipses, hyperbations and metatheses, syncopes, aphereses, epentheses, metonyms, and other exotic grammars and syntaxes. Nostradamus burned (or possibly buried) the original, explicit prose prophecies, because he did not want to complicate unduly humanity’s problem of free choice, or to encourage a fatalism that might deter us from making our best efforts to correct ourselves. Nor did he wish to interfere with the fulfillment of his prophecies by stating them too clearly in advance. And, he had no desire to incur the wrath of the Holy Inquisition:

"I warn you especially against the vanity of the more execrable magic, condemned of yore by the Holy Scriptures and by the Canons of the Church... However, judicial astrology is excepted from this judgment".

Shortly after the publication of The True Centuries, Nostradamus became famous as some of his prophecies found fulfillment in the death of King Henry II. In the ensuing centuries, about half of his predictions have been fulfilled with acceptable (and sometimes startling) accuracy. Following is a partial list of historical events foreseen by the prophet according to a consensus of some of his commentators’ interpretations:

16th century:

Catherine Medici and the fate of her sons (C.6:29, C.2:63, and C.7:32); Queen Mary and the Casket Letters, 1567 (C.10:39, C.10:55, and C.8:23); the capture of Calais, 1558 (C.7:16); the Battle of Lepanto, October 1571 (C.9:42); the capture of Tunis, 1573 (C.8:50); and the Edict of Poitier, 1577 (C.5:72).

17th century:

The death of Elizabeth I, 1603 (C.6:74); the death of Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII, 1642 (C.9:18 and C.8:68); the defeat, captivity and execution of Charles I, 1649 (C.3:80, C.8:37, and C.9:49); Charles II and the battle of Worcester, 1651 (C.10:4 and C.8:56); the Plague of London, 1665 (C.2:53); the Great Fire of London, 1666 (C.2:51); the sinking of the French fleet in the Gulf of Lyon, 1655 (C.3:87); the 30 Years War (C.5:12 and C.5:13); and William III of England and the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689 (C.4:89).

18th century:

The War of Spanish Succession, 1701-1713 (C.4:2 and C.2:5); the death of Pope Pius VI at Valence, 1799 (C.2:97); the French Revolution and the death of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette (C.1:3, C.1:14, C.1:58, C.5:5, C.6:92, C.9:20, C.9:34, and C.9:77); and Napolean and the Battle of Lodi, May 10, 1796 (C.6:79).

19th century:

Napolean I (C.8:1, C.1:57, and C.4:53) and his Italian campaign (C.4:37, C.3:37, C.2:94, and C.1:93); Wellington’s campaign against Napolean in the Spanish peninsula (C.4:70) and at Waterloo, 1815 (C.4:75); Napolean’s Russian Campaign (C.3:37) and his retreat from Moscow, 1812-1813 (C.4:82); Napolean’s exile at Elba and St. Helena (C.1:32 and C.1:60); the assassination of Duke de Berry, 1820 (C.4:73); Napolean III (C.8:41 and C.5:20) and the Franco-Prussian War, 1870-1871 (C.4:100); the coronation of Napolean III (C.5:6); and the defeat of Louis Napolean, 1870 (C.8:43).

20th century:

The abdication of Edward VIII, 1936 (C.10:40), World Wars I and II (dozens of quatrains); Hitler (C.2:24 and several others); Marshal Petain of France, 1940-1944 (C.4:61 and C.8:68); the capture of Tobruk (C.1:28); and Mussolini and Victor Emmanuel V (C.8:31).

Nostradamus’ prophecies have gone through many editions, some of which are counterfeit. Most are riddled with typographic and other editorial errors. The definitive study is Edgar Leoni’s Nostradamus and His Prophecies, which represents the authentic spelling and style of the first edition. That work was used as the primary reference in this study. Most other modern translations are travesties, and the interpretations based on them are mere fantasy.

Most of Nostradamus’ prophecies concern Europe, though a few seem to refer to the USA. At least 100 of them describe a future invasion of Europe by Moslems. The most coherent and explicit of those will be considered here. He predicted the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the siege of the PLO in 1982 with remarkable accuracy, albeit obscurely; it is understandable only in retrospect:

The device of flying fire
Will come to trouble the great besieged Chief
Within there will be such sedition
That the profligate ones will be in despair. (C.6:34)

This quatrain can apply to the Israeli siege of the PLO in Beirut. "The device of flying fire" is Nostradamus’ term for jets or missiles, phosphorus bombs and artillery which were used "to trouble the great besieged Chief", Yasser Arafat. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon was triggered by the attempted assassination of Shlomo Argov, the Israeli ambassador in London, by a PLO splinter group ("sedition within"). Line 4 is confusing until "profligate" is understood in its obsolete meaning: beaten and dispersed! Thus, "profligate" certainly applies to the PLO besieged in Beirut. Their circumstance and its resolution (the UN-supervised evacuation of the PLO army) are unique in history, and Nostradamus can be credited with having predicted it accurately. The situation in Iran also caught Nostradamus’ attention:

Rain, famine, war in Persia not ceased,
The faith too great will betray the monarch,
For the end began in Gaul:
Secret augury for one to be sparing. (C.1:70)

This quatrain foretells famine in Iran (Persia). "The faith too great" is the Islamic religion; the betrayed monarch was the deposed Shah Pahlavi. "The end began in Gaul" (France), where Ayatollah Khomeini was exiled until he returned to Iran after the revolution there. The last line may be private advice to some fated person who was expected to read his prophecies some day.

New law to occupy the new land
Toward Syria, Judea and Palestine:
The great barbarian empire to decay,
Before the Moon completes its cycle. (C.3:7)

Lines 1 and 2 predict the return of the Jews to establish Israel. Lines 3 and 4 foretell the decline of Moslem power; the crescent moon is a Moslem symbol. A lunar cycle is about 28 days, but a larger-scale cycle of 28 years may be meant here.

Newcomers, place built without defense,
To occupy place then uninhabitable
Meadows, houses, towns to take at pleasure,
Hunger, pestilence, war, extensive acreage arable. (C.2:19)

This is a prediction of the Israeli kibbutz program, which has taken "at pleasure" and occupied the desert, a "place then uninhabitable", turned it into meadows, and rendered "extensive acreage arable".

The Gods will make it appear to men
That they are the authors of a great conflict:
Before heaven seen serene sword and lance,
So that the left hand will be a greater affliction. (C.1:19)

This quatrain has several possible translations and interpretations. The first line suggests that demi-gods (or mere extraterrestrial aliens) will put on a display of their power for our edification. Samuel Browning wrote: "The Gods are those who either have money or don’t need it" -- the super-rich few who control the planet insofar as they can, including financing wars. Nostradamus might be telling us that the next great war will be "religious", such as a Moslem Jihad versus Christianity. Line 4 suggests that left-handed people will be afflicted (just kidding!). Just as likely, God will produce astonishing natural phenomena such as predicted in the Fatima prophecy and others.

According to the most obvious interpretations of Nostradamus’ cryptic verses, Europe will suffer another invasion by Moslems. The situation will be complicated later by Russian and Chinese aggressions. Some of his predictions came true within 20 years after the publication of The True Centuries, but most of them definitely indicate a future war between Christians and Moslems. About a dozen of the quatrains concerning this war are dated by astronomical configurations that began in the 1980s and continue into the 21st century. That war did not begin on schedule, but the prophet was perfectly accurate in his timing the outbreak of the Balkan war between Christians and Moslems in the 1990s. It is the opinion of this writer that the Marian movement (of prayer for peace) was successfully in delaying the prophesied "wrath of God" for some 20 years -- but that grace period has ended.

When those of the arctic pole are united together,
Great terror and fear in the East:
Newly elected, sustaining great trembling,
Rhodes and Byzantium stained with Barbarian blood. (C.6:21)

"Those of the arctic pole" are the Russians. According to line 2, the East (possibly meaning the Mideast, i.e., Israel), will live in "great terror and fear". Line 3 is almost uncanny in that it suggests that the newly-elected George Bush will sustain "great trembling" --- the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. There will be fighting at Rhodes and Eski Eregli (Byzantium). The "Barbarian blood" is that of the Moslems.

From the Pont Euxine and great Tartary
A king will be who will come to see Gaul
To transpierce Alane and Armenia
And within Byzantium he will leave his rod. (C.5:54)

The Pont Euxine is the Black Sea, and Tartary is in Central Asia, whence came Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, and Tamerlane. Alane is the area between the Don, the Volga, and the Caucasus, occupied by the Alans. The king will be distinguished by "his rod" (a scepter or weapon), with which he will whack about:

The Easterner will leave his seat,
To pass the Apennine mountains to see Gaul:
He will transpierce the sky, the waters, and the snow,
And everyone will be struck by his rod. (C.2:39)

He will enter ugly, wicked, infamous,
Tyrannizing over Mesopotamia:
All made friends by the adulterine lady,
Land horrible black of physiognomy. (C.8:70)

The leader of the Moslems will rule Iraq (Mesopotamia): Saddam Hussein, or his successor. "The adulterine lady" may be the harlot of "Mystery Babylon" in the biblical Revelation of St. John, or it may symbolize American diplomacy. The land will be razed.

Moslems throughout the Middle East, Asia and Africa will be drafted into the jihad, which will be led by a murderous young man:

Throughout all Asia great proscription,
Even in Mysia, Lysia, and Pamphilia.
Blood will be shed because of the absolution
Of a young black one filled with felony. (C.3:60)

The synagogue sterile without any fruit
Will be received by the infidels:
The daughter of the persecuted of Babylon
Misery and sadness will clip her wings. (C.8:96)

Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982 injured its national and religious spirit, rendering it "sterile" in the sense of line 1. This sentiment was expressed in June 1983, when Shlomo Argov (the Israeli ambassador whose attempted assassination triggered the war) made his first public statement about war. Argov denounced the politicians and especially the,

"generals who wanted to try their hands at running a war and were incapable of doing so. The Lebanese war is an unsuccessful war, and the people of Israel came out weakened by it. Worthwhile wars are the business of charlatans. Those who spoke about the war and brought it upon us should have thought more than twice of the price, especially in human life. We are a nation short in human resources, and have needlessly sacrificed the lives of hundreds of our best boys. It is the eternal right of our soldiers never to go to war unless it is necessary".

Lines 1 and 2 also can be understood to prophecy the return of the Jews to Israel in 1948. Line 4 suggests that Israel ("The synagogue" and "The daughter of the persecuted of Babylon" --- a reference to the Jewish captivity) will be conquered by Iraq.

The great Arab will march far forward
He will be betrayed by the Byzantians:
Ancient Rhodes will come to meet him
And greater harm through the Austrian Panonnois. (C.5:47)

Turkey and Rhodes will resist the invasion, and Austria-Hungary (Pannonois) will be attacked by way of Trieste.

The Blue Turban King entered into Foix
And he will reign less than the evolution of Saturn:
The White Turban King Byzantium heart banished
Sun, Mars, and Mercury near Aquarius. (C.9:73)

"The Blue Turban" Moslem militants (or, the United Nations army) will overthrow the "White Turban" Turkish ruler of C.5:47. Foix is in southwest France, which will be invaded. The new Moslem empire will last less than 30 years, the period of an orbit of Saturn around the sun. The conjunction of Mars, Mercury, and the Sun in Aquarius last occurred in January 1994.

The two will not remain united for very long,
And in thirteen years to the Barbarian Satrap:
On both sides they will cause such loss
That one will bless the bark and its cope. (C.5:78)

The Moslem alliance will last about 13 years; it will test the Christian spirit ("The Bark and its cope" -- the Catholic Church and the Pope).

At the great market they call that of liars
Of all Torrent and field of Athens
They will be surprised by light cavalry,
By Albanois Mars, Leo, Saturn in Urn. (C.5:91)

War will return to Greece and Albania. The astrological configurations of Mars in Leo, and Saturn in Aquarius, occurred between February 1991 and January 1994. This prophecy probably was fulfilled by the Balkan War of the 1990s.

Line 1 is inexplicable; it might be a reference to diplomacy or the UN. According to a related quatrain, a new biological warfare agent ("an unknown evil") will ravage the Balkan Peninsula:

The horrible plague Perinthus and Nicopolis
The Peninsula and Macedonia will it fall upon:
It will devastate Thessaly and Amphibolis,
An unknown evil, and from Anthony refusal. (C.9:91)

In the Cyclades, in Perinthus, and Larissa,
In Sparta all of Peloponnesus
Such great famine, plague through false dust,
Nine months it will last and throughout the entire peninsula. (C.5:90)

The Cyclades are Greek islands southeast of Athens; Perenthus was near the eastern tip of Thrace, and Larissa was the chief city of Thessaly in northern Greece. Sparta is on the Peloponnesian Peninsula.

Through fire and arms not far from the Black Sea,
Will come from Persia to occupy Trebizand
To tremble Pharos, Myteline, Sol joyful
The Adriatic Sea covered with Arab blood. (C.5:27)

Moslem forces will occupy Trabzun (formerly Trebizand) in the northeast corner of Asia Minor on the Black Sea. Pharos is an island forming part of the harbor of Alexandria, Egypt, and Myteline is the island of Lesbos off the northeast coast of Asia Minor; both will be attacked. Many will die in the Adriatic Sea.

Wreck for the fleet near the Adriatic Sea:
The land trembles stirred up upon the air placed on land:
Egypt trembles Mahometan augment,
The Herald surrenders himself, to cry is commissioned. (C.2:86)

Nostradamus has predicted a great naval battle in the Adriatic Sea. Line two indicates a geological catastrophe. Egypt is threatened, as prophesied also in line 3 of C.5:27 ("to tremble Pharos") and in the following quatrain. Line 4 suggests that a new prophet will arise, or that a diplomat will be held hostage.

The Arab prince Mars, Sun, Venus, Lion
The reign of the Church will succumb to the sea
Toward Persia well near a million
Byzantium, Egypt will resist the temptation. (C.5:25)

Mars, Sol and Venus conjoined in Leo in 1987 and 1989, but the Moslems resisted the opportunity to invade Europe at that time. It may have been rescheduled for fulfillment in the first decade of the 21st century.

One whom the gods of infernal Hannibal
Will bear to be reborn, terror of humans
Never more of horror nor worse days
In the past than will come by Babel to Romans. (C.2:30)

The ancient Carthaginian conqueror Hannibal will reincarnate and attack Rome again. Carthage in North Africa was founded by the Phoenicians. This suggests that Libya (Carthage) will attack Italy first. Babel (line 4) is now Iraq-Iran; apparently Libya and Iraq will be allied.

The Church of God will be persecuted
And the holy temples ill be plundered,
The child will put his mother out in her shift,
Arabs will be allied with the Poles. (C.3:73)

The first two lines of this quatrain are self-explanatory, but cannot be dated. The alliance of line 4 may have been established on September 9, 1982, when Col. Khadafy visited Poland and signed a friendship treaty with that country’s leaders.

Libyan leader powerful in the West
Will come to inflame very much French with Arab.
Learned in letters he will be condescending
To translate the Arab language into French. (C.3:27)

Khadafy will interfere with French-Arabic diplomacy. Khadafy is "learned in letters" insofar as he is the author of a 3-volume "green book"; he argues for his "third universal theory" and holy war, which he insists should be Islam’s sixth basic obligation.

Another quatrain also mentions his "letters":

O vast Rome, thy ruin approaches,
Not of thy walls, of thy blood and substance
One harsh in letters will make a very horrible notch,
Pointed iron driven into all the hilt. (C.10:65)

How many times will you be taken, Solar City.
Changing the Barbarian and vain laws,
Your end approaches: you will be more tributary,
The great Adria will recover through your veins. (C.1:8)

The "Solar City" probably is Rome, since it is mentioned in relation to "the great Adria" (Adriatic Sea). Perhaps this prophecy is related to C.1:69 and C.8:16 (above), which mention a great deluge. Otherwise, the prophet may be suggesting an invasion of Venice by Moslems.

From the Orient will come the Punic heart
To vex Adria and the heirs of Romulus,
Accompanied by the Libyan fleet
Malta to tremble and nearby islands empty. (C.1:9)

"The Punic heart" refers to the Carthaginian Hannibal of C.2:30, attacking Italy ("the heirs of Romulus") with the Libyan fleet in the Adriatic Sea. Italy will be invaded by sea (C. 2: 43).

The islands of the Mediterranean Sea will be pillaged:

Naples, Palermo, and all Sicily
The entire coast will remain desolated:
There will remain no suburb, city or town
Not pillaged and robbed by the Barbarians. (C.7:6)

The chief of Persia will occupy great Olchades
The trireme fleet against the Mahometan people
From Parthia, and Media: and the Cyclades pillaged:
Long rest at the Ionian port. (C.3:64)

The Iranians, et al., will invade southwest Spain (Olchades). The Cyclades are islands in the Aegean Sea. Parthia and Media were located in what is now Iran. "The Ionian port" is either Venice or Trieste.

From Monaco to near Sicily
The entire coast will remain desolated:
There will remain no suburb, city or town
Not pillaged and robbed by the Barbarians. (C.2:4)

The legion in the marine fleet
Will burn lime, lodestone, sulfur and pitch:
The long rest in the secure place:
Port Selyn and Monaco, fire will consume them. (C.4:23)

Greater calamity of blood and famine,
Seven times it approaches the marine shore:
Monaco from hunger, place captured, captivity,
The great one led crunched in an iron cage. (C.3:10)

These quatrains are reasonably clear, spelling doom for the inhabitants of the Mediterranean coast of Europe. A ruler or military commander will be captured and put in a cage.

In the country of Arabia Felix
There will be born one powerful in the law of Mahomet
To vex Spain, to conquer Granada,
And more by sea against the Ligurian people. (C.5:55)

Arabia Felix is the area between Yemen and Aden. Here Nostradamus seems to be predicting yet another Moslem leader besides the Iranian and the Libyan. Liguria is now Genoa, Italy.

The year that Saturn and Mars are equally fiery
The air hot, dry, long trajectory
From secret fire, the great heat burns the place to ashes
Little rain, hot, arid, wars, incursions. (C.4:67)

Saturn and Mars will be conjunct in Leo from June-July 2006. The "secret fire" is the atomic bomb, which is top secret in many respects. This prophecy may have been fulfilled in May 1986 when Halley’s Comet passed and the disaster occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine. Perhaps Nostradamus’ astrological dating was in error. We will find out in 2006.

The Celtic river will change its course
No longer will include the city of Agrippina:
All transmuted except the old language
Saturn, Leo, Mars, Cancer in rapine. (C.6:4)

The Celtic river is the Rhine, which will change its course. The astrological configuration of line 4 will occur in 2006, at which time Europe will be in chaos.

The strange nation will divide spoils,
Saturn in Mars his aspect furious:
Horrible slaughter of Tuscans and Latins,
Greeks, who will desire to strike. (C.1:83)

This quatrain repeats the schedule of C.4:67 above. "The strange nation" (the new Moslem empire) will pillage and slaughter the Italians and Greeks, who will continue to resist the invaders. The French too will be attacked by the Moslems. Nostradamus repeatedly warned the French navy not to overextend itself in the Mediterranean Sea, but the advice will be ignored:

If France you pass beyond the Ligurian Sea,
You will see yourself in the isles and seas enclosed:
Mahomet contrary, more so the Adriatic Sea:
Of horses and asses you will gnaw the bones. (C.3:23)

Gallic fleet, do not approach Corsica,
Less Sardinia, you will repent of it:
Every single one will die frustrated of the end of the cape:
You will swim in blood: captive you will not believe me. (C.3:87)

The great Satyr and Tiger of Hyrcania
Gift presented to those of the Ocean:
A chief of the fleet will come from Carmania
Who will take land at Tyrren Phocaean. (C.3:90)

In this quatrain, a Moslem naval commander who hails from Hyrcania (now part of Iran) will attack Marseilles ("Tyrren Phocaean"). These quatrains may have been fulfilled in 1655, when the French fleet was sunk in the Gulf of Lyon, or in 1940 when the British navy destroyed the French fleet off the coast of Algiers.

Because of Gallic discord and negligence
A passage will be open to Mahomet
Blood soaks the land and sea of Senois
The Phoenician port covered with sails and ships. (C.1:18)

"The Phoenician port" is Marseilles, where the Moslems will enter France, which will be weakened by civil disorder and unable to repel the invaders. The Senois (line 3) are the Senons, an ancient Gallic tribe. Venice will will captured.

France because of Negligence assailed on five sides,
Tunis, Algiers stirred up by Persians:
Leon, Seville, Barcelona having failed,
For the Venetians there will be no fleet. (C.1:73)

The inhabitants of Marseilles completely changed,
Flight and pursuit up to near Lyon,
Narbonne, Toulouse wronged by Bordeaux
Killed and captive nearly a million. (C.1:72)

According to the apparent interpretation of these clear visions, the Moslems will penetrate deep into France. Nearly a million persons will be killed or captured as they flee or fight. See also C.1:92.

Three foists will enter the port of Agde
Carrying the infection, not faith or pestilence:
Passing the bridge they will carry off millions,
And to break the bridge resistance by a third. (C.8:21)

Agde is in the southwest France; the Moslems will attack there with biological weapons. Or, an epidemic will break out in the aftermath of the fighting. This and several related quatrains focus on an unidentified bridge as the scene of a great battle in which millions of people will be killed and captured.

Great Po, great evil will be received through Gauls,
Vain terror to the maritime Lion:
Infinite people will pass by sea,
Without escaping a quarter of a million. (C.2:94)

The Po is in southern France, where the Moslems will enter the country. "The maritime Lion" is the British navy. Line 4 suggests that a quarter million people will be captured.

From Barcelona by sea a very great army
All Marseilles will tremble with terror:
Isles seized help shut off by sea
Your traitor will swim in earth. (C.3:88)

This quatrain is self-explanatory, though the last line is confusing.

As the war continues, famine follows:

Those in the isles long besieged
Will take vigor and force against their enemies:
Those outside dead overcome by hunger,
They will be put in greater hunger than ever before. (C.3:71)

Lightning brightness at Lyons visible,
Shining, Malta is taken, suddenly it will be extinguished:
Sardon, Maurice will treat deceitfully,
Geneva at London to the cock feigned treason. (C.8:6)

Here Nostradamus seems to be predicting that Lyon and Malta will be attacked with nuclear weapons. Line 4 suggests a fake betrayal of the French, perhaps as a strategic deception. Geneva at London indicates that the Swiss government and the (United Nations) will be in exile there.

At 45 degrees the sky will burn:
Fire to approach the great new city:
In an instant a great scattered flame will leap up,
When one will want to demand proof to the Normans. (C.6:97)

Lyon is at 45 degrees latitude, but it is not a "great new city". Many modern exegetes of Nostradamus agree that New York City may be meant here. It is obvious that that terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 can be inferred from this line, or else a future missile attack. The Normans are the French, but the meaning of line 4 remains unclear. If 45 degrees is a longitude, then this quatrain could be warning an attack from Russia.

Burning torch in heaven at night will be seen
Near the end and source of the Rhine:
Famine, steel, the relief provided late,
The Persian turns to invade Macedonia. (C.2:96)

The "burning torch in heaven" might be a comet, or a nuclear missile. If a missile attack is intended here, Nostradamus may be warning us that the targets will be the source and mouth of the Rhone River, which originates at the foot of Furka Pass and runs 505 miles to the Mediterranean Sea west of Marseilles.

The Rhine River begins within 100 yards of the Rhone, and runs 820 miles to the North Sea. The Danube River begins only 15 miles away from the Rhine and Rhone, and it flows 1776 miles to the Black Sea. Famine will devour the people as the delivery of relief supplies is delayed. The Iranians (Persia) will invade Greece (Macedonia), according to line 4, which reiterates several other quatrains. The Moslem invasion will include Switzerland, whose neutrality will not be respected (C. 5: 85, C. 6: 81, C. 2:74, C. 9: 44):

Migrate, migrate from Geneva every one,
Saturn from gold to iron will change,
The contrary RAYPOZ will exterminate all,
Before the advent the sky will show signs. (C.9:44)

The inhabitants of Geneva will be wise to flee when the economy (Saturn) turns from banking (gold) to war (iron) against "RAYPOZ". This is Nostradamus’ transposed spelling for Zopyra, who delivered Babylon into the hands of Darius. Another possible meaning suggest that a positive ray (ion beam) weapon will be used. The event will be portended by celestial omens.

Germany also will be visited by the Moslem Jihad:

The holy empire will come to Germany,
Ishmaelite will find open places:
Asses will want also Carmania,
Supporters of earth all covered. (C.10:31)

"The holy empire" is that of the Moslem religion. The Ishmaelites are the Arabs, who claim descendance from Ishmael, son of Abraham. According to the apparent meaning of line 4, the defenders will be slaughtered. See also C. 4:68.

The Moslem invaders (the "great Camel") will penetrate Austria and Germany. They will be defeated by the French ("the Cock") near the Alps:

In the Danube and the Rhine will come to drink
The great Camel, not repenting it:
The Rhone to tremble, much stronger than the Loire
And near the Alps the Cock will ruin him. (C.5:68)

Entered amidst the fields beside the Rhone
Where the crusaders will be almost united,
Mars and Venus met in Pisces,
And a great number punished by flood. (C.8:91)

The European Christians ("the crusaders") will gather their armies near the Rhone River, which will flood and drown many people. The astrological configuration of line 3 passed without incident in February 1996.

Between Campania, Siena, Florence, Tuscany
Six months nine days without a drop of rain:
The strange tongue in the Dalmatian land;
It will overrun, devastating the entire land. (C.2:84)

A drought will occur in the area covered by the cities listed in line 1. The Moslem invades ("the strange tongue") will devastate the land.

Pau, Verona, Vicenza, Saragossa
From distant swords wet with blood:
Very great plague will come with the great pod,
Relief near, and the remedies very far. (C.3:75)

The cities listed in line 1 are in southwest France, Spain and northern Italy. Line 3 seems to describe biological warfare delivered by missile.

Paris will be destroyed:

The great city will be thoroughly desolated
Of the inhabitants a single one will not remain:
Wall, sex, temple and virgin violated,
By iron, fire, pestilence, cannon people will die. (C.3:84)

In Avignon the chief of the whole empire
Will make a stop on the way to desolated Paris:
Tricast will hold the anger of Hannibal:
Lyon will be poorly consoled for the change. (C.3:93)

The Moslem advance will be halted at "Tricast", which might be the French city of Troyes, or St. Paul-Trois-Chateaux. Nostradamus wrote several quatrains that prophesy great tribulations for the British people, who will rally against the Moslems:

Towards Aquitane by the British isles
By these themselves great incursions
Rain, frosts will make the soil uneven,
Port Selyn will make mighty invasions. (C.2:1)

Aquitane is a large province in southwest France, where the British, et al, will land and attack the Moslems. In line 4, "Selyn" (from the Greek selene, moon) symbolizes the Moslem crescent moon logo. Or, it may indicate an attack on Genoa, Italy.

The trembling of land at Mortara
Cassiterides St. George half sunk to the bottom
Drowsy peace the war will awaken
In the temple at Easter abysses ripped open. (C.9:31)

Mortara (in northern Italy near Milan) will be struck by an earthquake at Easter. England is Cassiterides, the Tin Islands; St. George is the patron saint of England. The island will half-sink in a geological catastrophe.

The great Britain comprised England
Will come by waters so high to be inundated
The new league of Ausonia will make war
That against them they will come to band. (C.3:70)

Ausonia (near Naples) will become a center of resistance against the Moslems. The sinking of England (or the flooding of East Anglia at least) may be caused by a great earthquake, possibly caused by the impact of a comet:

The great round mountain of seven stades

After peace, war, famine, flood
It will roll far, sinking great countries
Even the ancient ones, and of great foundation. (C.1:69)

A stade is a measure varying from about 607 to 739 feet; seven stades equals about 4250-5150 feet. A conservative interpretation of line 1 suggests that Mt. Vesuvius, which is about that high, will erupt with extreme violence. However, it is just as likely that this is a warning that a comet will strike Earth. Several other prophets also predicted a cometary impact (i.e., Revelation 8: 8-11.)

At the place where Jason had his ship built,
There will be a flood so great and so sudden
That one will have no place or land to fall upon,
The waves to mount Olympian Fesulan. (C.8:16)

Jason is the mythological character of Golden Fleece fame; Greece is indicated here. "Fesulan" is one of Nostradamus’ many unsolved linguistic barbarisms, but probably derives from Fesulae (now Fiesole) in central Italy, which certainly would suffer also if such an enormous catastrophe were to befall Greece.

Many other European prophets before and after Nostradamus made predictions of a "Grand Monarch", a new emperor who will arise to lead Christian Europe to victory over the Moslems. Nostradamus refers to him many times:

Like a griffin will come the king of Europe,
Accompanied by those of Aquilon:
Of reds and whites he will conduct a great troop
And they will go against the king of Babylon. (C.10:86)

The aimless army of Europe will depart
Collecting itself near the submerged isle:
The weak fleet will bend the phalanx
At the navel of the world a greater voice substituted. (C.2:22)

The retreating armies of the European allies will regroup in what is left of England ("the submerged isle"). Their fleet will deal a crippling blow to the Moslem navy. "The navel of the world" probably indicates the Kaaba at Mecca, the center of the world according to the Muslims. Other possibilities include Iraq-Iran, Israel, Egypt, Rome, or even Delphi, Greece. "Another voice substituted" may be that of a new leader, or a prophet.

Naples, Palermo, Culy, Syracuse,
New tyrants, celestial lightning fire
Force from London, Ghent, Brusselles, and Susa,
Great hecatombs, triumph to make feasts. (C.2:16)

Allied European forces will defeat the Moslems at the places listed in lines 1 and 3. The "celestial lightning fire" of line 2 may be that of nuclear weapons used by or against the Moslems.

After the victory of the Lion over the Lion
Upon the mountain of Jura Hecatomb,
Deluge and browns seventh million
Lyon, Ulm at Mansol dead and hecatomb. (C.8:34)

The Moslems will be defeated in a battle in the Jura Mountains of Franche-Comte. It will be a great slaughter (hecatomb; see also C.2:16 above) of the "browns" (African Moslems); a seventh million" is approximately 120,000. Line 4 is obscure, but Lyons certainly is in France, and Ulm is in Germany. "Mansol" is believed to be St. Paul-de-Mausol near St.-Remy, Nostradamus’ birthplace.

Very near Auch, Lectoure, and Mirand
Great fire from heaven in three nights will fall
A very stupendous event will occur:
Very soon after the earth will tremble. (C.1:46)

Auch, Lectoure and Mirand are neighboring towns in the department of Gers in southwest France. Apparently there will be three nights (and days?) of bombing. The "very stupendous event" is not specified, but it will be followed by an earthquake.

The terrible war that is being prepared in the west
The ensuing year will come the pestilence
So very horrible that young, old, nor beast
Blood, fire, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter in France. (C.9:55)

Biological warfare will ravage humans and animals. The conjunction of Mercury, Mars and Jupiter last occurred in March 1998 without notable incident.

The famous quatrain of "the great king of terror", scheduled to appear in 1999, also failed to manifest:

The year 1999, seven months
From heaven comes a great king of terror
To resurrect the great king of the Angolmois
Before that Mars reigns for happiness. (C.10:72)

The resuscitation of "the great king of Angolmois" may be a reference to the Angoumois (an early Gallic people who were conquered by the Goths) or the noble French family of Angouleme and the House of Orleans, which produced Charles V, Francis I, and the Valois kings. It seems that the Grand Monarch, if he is indicated here, will be French. Job 17:14 calls Death the King of Terrors, and death is the last enemy. The year 1999 passed without any such incident, but the event may yet occur on another schedule (September 1, 2001?).

Of Trojan blood will be born a Germanic heart
Who will rise to a very high power:
He will drive out the foreign Arabic people
Returning the Church to its pre-eminence. (C.5:74)

"Trojan blood" refers to the royal blood of France, which according to legend descends from Francus, son of King Priam of Troy. The king will rout the Moslems and restore the Catholic Church (See also C. 5: 79, C. 6: 70, C. 5: 6, C. 10: 73, etc.).

Mars and the sceptre will be found conjoined
Under Cancer calamitious war:
Shortly afterward a new king will be anointed
Who for a long time will pacify the earth. (C.6:24)

The "sceptre" is Jupiter, which will conjoin Mars in Cancer in July 2002. The new king presumably will be the anticipated Grand Monarch.

In the grassy fields of Allein and of Verneques
Of the Lubern Mountains near the Durance,
Camps of two sides in conflict so bitter
Mesopotamia will falter in France. (C.3:99)

Allein and Verneques are villages northeast of Salon, Nostradamus’ hometown. The Luberon mountains are on the north side of the Durance River. The Moslems will be defeated there. The Moslem commander will be captured and brought before the Grand Monarch, and the Moslem army will be annihilated:

The great one of the foreign land led captive,
Chained in gold to king CHYREN offered:
He who in Ausonia, Milan will lose the war,
And all his army put to fire and sword. (C.4:34)

With great fury the Roman Belgian King
With want to vex the barbarian with his phalanx:
Fury gnashing, he will chase the African people
From Pannonois to the Pillars of Hercules. (C.5:12)

The Grand Monarch ("the Roman Belgian King") will rout the invaders. Pannonois is Hungary; the Pillars of Hercules are the Straits of Gibraltar. His company will enter Spain and cross the Straits of Gibraltar into Africa in pursuit of the retreating Moslems ("the crescent" and "those of Friday", the Mohammedan day of rest):

To the Spains will come a very powerful king
By land and sea subjugating the South:
This evil will cause, lowering again the crescent,
Clipping the wings of those of Friday. (C.10:95)

From Barcelona, from Genoa and Venice
From Sicily pestilence Monaco joined:
They will take their aim against the Barbarian fleet,
Barbarian driven well back as far as Tunis. (C.9:42)

Ogmios will approach great Byzantium
The Barbaric League will be chased
Of the two laws the heathen one will retreat,
Barbarian and Frank in perpetual strife. (C.5:80)

The Moslems will retreat into Africa and the Middle East. Ogmios (the Celtic mythic equivalent of Hercules), the commander of the European army, will chase the fleeing Moslems ("The Barbaric league" and "heathen one") all the way to Turkey. The Europeans will be counter-attacked on the beach:

On the point of landing the Crusader army
Will be ambushed by the Ishmaelites,
On all sides struck by the ship "Impetuosity"
Promptly assailed by ten elite galleys. (C.9:43)

On the fields of Media, of Arabia, and of Armenia
Two great armies will assemble three times:
Near the bank of Araxes the host,
Of great Suleiman will fall in the land. (C.3:31)

The Araxes River is in Armenia, east of the Black Sea. Media is southeast of Armenia. The war will end there with the total defeat of the remaining Moslem army.

The false trumpet concealing madness
Will bear Byzantium a change of laws:
From Egypt will go forth one who wants the withdrawal of
Edicts debasing the quality of coins. (C.1:40)

Line 1 is an apt description of infrasound weapons or psychoacoustic projectors, which disrupt the hearing and concentration of the enemy.

The Christian army will reach the Euphrates River:

The great band and sect of crusaders
Will be arrayed in Mesopotamia:
Light company of the nearby river,
That such law will hold for an enemy. (C.3:61)

The beard frizzled and black through skill
Will subjugate the cruel and proud people:
The great Chyren will remove from far away
All those captured by the banner of Selin. (C.2:79)

In this and several other quatrains, Nostradamus described the Moslem commander as having a black, frizzled beard. Chyren (Henry, the European commander) will liberate the captives held by the Moslems ("Selin").

Nostradamus refers to the Antichrist as such only a few times in his prophecies.

In C.8:77 he distinguishes three antichrists. Napoleon and Hitler probably were the first and second. The Moslem leader of the jihad will be the third:

The Antechrist three very soon extinguished,
Seven and twenty years of blood his war will last:
The heretics dead, captives exiles,
Blood human body water redden to hail on land. (C.8:77; see also C. 10: 10)

This too shall pass, with worse to come according to Nostradamus and many other prophets (the invasion of Europe and the MidEast by Russia and China, etc.). But that is another chapter in the history of the future...