Nostradamus 1999 Prophecy: Interpreting the King of Terror

Michel de Nostredame, commonly known as Nostradamus, remains one of history’s most discussed figures concerning prophecy and prediction. His work, Les Propheties, a collection of quatrains (four-line verses) published in 1555, has fascinated and perplexed readers for centuries. Among the thousands of cryptic verses, one quatrain stands out for its specificity regarding a particular year: 1999. The anticipation surrounding this date made the “nostradamus 1999” prophecy one of his most famous and debated predictions.

The quatrain in question, Century X, Quatrain 72, reads:

The year 1999 seven month,
From the sky will come a great King of terror:
To bring back to life the great King of Angolmois, (the Mongols),
Before after Mars to reign by good luck.

This verse has been subject to intense scrutiny and various interpretations as the specified date approached and passed. What exactly did Nostradamus foresee coming “From the sky” in July 1999?

Interpretations of the 1999 Quatrain

Several interpretations attempt to decode the symbolic language of Century X, Quatrain 72. Two prominent perspectives from interpreters John Hogue and Eric Cheetham offer different angles on the “King of Terror” and the significance of July 1999.

John Hogue’s Interpretation: Return of the Mongol Legacy

John Hogue focuses on the line “To bring back to life the great King of Angolmois, (the Mongols).” He links this to the historical figure of Genghis Khan, who unified the Mongol tribes and forged a vast empire known for its ferocity and devastation. Genghis Khan is presented as a historical “King of Terror” responsible for immense loss of life.

According to Hogue’s view, the return of the “great King of the Mongols” in 1999 doesn’t necessarily mean Genghis Khan himself would physically reappear. Instead, it could symbolize the resurgence of a force akin to the Mongol Empire’s power and terror, possibly linked to regions that were part of the original Mongol domain (modern-day Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Central Asian republics). He cites events like the restoration of Genghis Khan’s place in Chinese history in 1990 as potentially fulfilling this line symbolically.

A classic depiction or representation associated with Nostradamus prophecies.

The “great King of terror” coming “From the sky” in July 1999 is potentially linked to this resurgent force or perhaps another figure the quatrain associates with it, like the ‘Third Antichrist’. Hogue also considers the cryptic reference to Mars in the final line. While Mars conventionally represents war, he suggests it might point to a more positive spiritual transformation “before after Mars rules happily” in the new millennium, offering a sliver of potential hope or transformation after the described terror.

Eric Cheetham’s Interpretation: The Third Antichrist and the Millennium

Eric Cheetham approaches the quatrain with a focus on the coming of the Millennium, heavily influenced by contemporary thought during Nostradamus’s time. Cheetham interprets the 1999 prediction as preceding the Millennium, signifying a period of turmoil brought about by a major antagonistic force.

An image often associated with the enigmatic nature of prophecy.

He directly links the “great King of Terror” to the coming of the Third Antichrist, potentially from the East, and identifies this figure with the “king of the Mongols.” Cheetham sees the quatrain as a prediction of war and conflict both before and after this figure’s arrival, implying that Nostradamus did not envision an instant end to the world in 1999, but rather a significant period of upheaval tied to this prophetic year and figure.

Both interpretations grapple with the potent imagery and specific date provided by Nostradamus. The passing of 1999 without a universally agreed-upon event matching this quatrain led many to dismiss the prophecy, while others continue to seek symbolic fulfillments or alternative translations.

Other Famous Interpretations of Nostradamus’ Quatrains

Beyond the 1999 nostradamus prediction, Nostradamus’s quatrains are famous for allegedly foreshadowing various historical events. These interpretations often rely on linguistic analysis, historical context, and sometimes a degree of speculative connection between the verse and the event.

The Death of Henry II (Century 1, Quatrain 35)

The young lion will overcome the older one,
On the field of combat in a single battle;
He will pierce his eyes through a golden cage,
Two wounds made one, then he dies a cruel death.

This is one of Nostradamus’s most celebrated prophecies, interpreted as predicting the death of King Henry II of France in 1559. The King, wearing a gilded visor (“golden cage”) depicting a lion, jousted against the younger Comte de Montgomery, whose shield also bore a lion. Montgomery’s lance shattered, sending splinters through the king’s visor, fatally wounding him in the eye and temple. The description of two wounds effectively becoming one fatal injury is seen as a direct correlation.

The Great Fire of London (Century ?, Quatrain ?)

While the original article doesn’t provide the Century and Quatrain numbers for all these, it mentions this verse:

The blood of the just will be demanded of London,
Burnt by the fire in the year 66

This is commonly interpreted as referring to the Great Fire of London in 1666, specifically noting the year (’66). The line “The blood of the just will be demanded of London” adds a layer of judgment or consequence preceding the disaster.

The French Revolution (Century 1, Quatrain 14 & Century 2, Quatrain 57)

Several quatrains are interpreted as hinting at the French Revolution.
Century 1, Quatrain 14:

From the enslaved people, songs, chants and demands,
The princes and lords are held captive in prisons:
In the future by such headless idiots
These will be taken as divine utterances.

This is seen as reflecting the uprising of the common people, the imprisonment of the aristocracy, and the radical nature of revolutionary ideas.

Century 2, Quatrain 57:

Before the war comes, the great wall will fall,
The King will be executed, his death coming too soon will be lamented.
(The guards) will swim in blood,
Near the River Seine the soil will be bloodied.

Interpreters connect the “great wall” falling to the storming of the Bastille in 1789. The execution of the King (Louis XVI) and violence near the River Seine (Paris) are also seen as fitting.

Napoleon Bonaparte (Century 8, Quatrain 1)

PAU, NAY, LORON will be more of fire than of the blood,
To swim in praise, the great one to flee to the confluence.
He will refuse entry to the Piuses,
The depraved ones and the Durance will keep them imprisoned.

This quatrain is famous for the anagram “PAU, NAY, LORON,” which can be rearranged to sound like “Napaulon Roy” (Napoleon King). The phrase “more of fire than of the blood” is interpreted as referring to Napoleon’s military ambition (“fire”) over noble lineage (“blood”). The line about refusing entry to “the Piuses” and keeping them imprisoned is linked to Napoleon’s conflict with and imprisonment of Popes Pius VI and Pius VII.

World War II and Hitler (Century 3, Quatrain 35; Century 2, Quatrain 24; etc.)

Nostradamus’s work is interpreted by some as predicting the rise of Adolf Hitler. One key term used is “Hister,” which some link to Hitler and also the Latin name for the Danube river, near which Hitler was born.

Century 3, Quatrain 35:

From the deepest part of Western Europe
A young child will be born to poor people
Who will by his speech seduce a great multitude,
His reputation will increase in the Kingdom of the East”

This is seen as describing Hitler’s origins, his oratorical skills, and his influence extending to Japan (“Kingdom of the East”).

Century 2, Quatrain 24:

Beasts ferocious with hunger will cross the rivers,
The greater part of the battlefield will be against Hister.
Into a cage of iron will the great one be drawn,
When the child of Germany observes nothing.

This is interpreted as referring to the military conflicts against “Hister” and potentially his eventual downfall or capture (“cage of iron”).

A historical figure widely associated with conflict and a subject of prophetic interpretations.

The Kennedy Assassination (Century 6, Quatrain 37 & Century 1, Quatrain 27)

Interpretations also extend to more modern events, like the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers.

Century 6, Quatrain 37:

The ancient work will be accomplished,
And from the roof evil ruin will fall on the great man:
They will accuse an innocent, being dead, of the deed:
The guilty one is hidden in the misty copse.

This quatrain is linked to the assassination of JFK. “From the roof” could refer to the Texas School Book Depository or metaphorically the CIA’s protection. The third line is often cited as suggesting Lee Harvey Oswald was innocent and the true culprit is hidden (“the misty copse”), fueling conspiracy theories.

Century 1, Quatrain 27:

The great man will be struck down in the day by a thunderbolt,
The evil deed predicted by the bearer of a petition:
According to the prediction another falls at night,
Conflict in Reims, London, and pestilence in Tuscany.

This quatrain is interpreted to include both JFK and Robert Kennedy. JFK was shot during the day (“in the day by a thunderbolt”), while his brother Robert was shot at night (“another falls at night”). The final line is seen as dating the context, potentially referencing the student riots in Paris (Reims) and London in 1968, and a flood in Florence (Tuscany) in 1966, aligning with the time frame of the assassinations (1963 and 1968).

A prominent figure whose assassination has also been subject to Nostradamus interpretations.

Conclusion

The quatrains of Nostradamus, particularly the prominent “nostradamus 1999” prediction, continue to be a source of fascination and debate. While skeptics attribute perceived fulfillments to coincidence, vague language, mistranslations, or retrospective fitting of events to the verses, enthusiasts find uncanny correlations between his cryptic lines and significant historical moments. Whether viewed as divine foresight, poetic allegory, or historical curiosity, Nostradamus’s Propheties remain a compelling collection, inviting readers to delve into the intersection of language, history, and the enduring human desire to glimpse the future.