Michel de Nostredame (14 or 21 December 1503 – 2 July 1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and allegedly a doctor. He was born in Provence. He is famous as a 'seer' who wrote collections of prophecies that have since become famous around the world. His best known book was called "Les Propheties" (The Prophecies) and first appeared in 1555. Since its first publication the book has rarely been out of print. Over the years, many people have come to believe that Nostradamus predicted a range of events in history. People often reached this conclusion by applying methods similar to the Bible code - i.e. by twisting the texts in such a way as to suggest that they predicted the future. He died of edema in Provence.