Prophecy of the Great Fire of London
Poet involved
What happened
For years before the Great Fire of London, various prophets and astrologers, including Nostradamus, had predicted a great fire that would destroy the city. When the fire broke out in London in September 1666, these prophecies were widely recalled and interpreted as divine judgment. The fire reshaped London's architecture and had profound religious and political consequences, being seen by many as punishment for the city's sins.
Literary impact
The Great Fire of London inspired a flood of prophetic and apocalyptic literature, including poems and pamphlets that interpreted the event as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Writers like John Dryden and later Daniel Defoe referenced the fire and its portents, embedding it in the English literary imagination as a symbol of divine wrath and national renewal.
Source: Wikipedia