End of the World Predictions: 1500 CE/AD to 1799 CE/AD

        This is the chronological list of End of the World predictions. Note that, in the list, if the predictor gave no particular details about how they thought the world would end, I simply listed the Nature of End as "End of the World". I hope that's pretty clear... and now, the list.

Predictions covering 1500 CE/AD through 1799 CE/AD

1523 AD: End of the World, predicted by Martin Stlfelius
        In this year, a preacher name Martin Stlfelius apparently predicted a particular day and hour that the world would end (which my source doesn't give me the exact date of). On his predicted date, he was preaching in a church to a terror stricken congregation as a storm brewed up outside, adding to the dire mood... but once both the storm and the predicted hour passed, Stlfelius was dragged from his pulpit and nearly beaten to death. ... which is all a good story, but seems to be a mistelling of a more definite event that happened to one Michael Stiefel, in 1533 AD (see below!).

1524 AD, February 1: Second Great Flood, predicted by Astrologers, various

1524 AD, February 20: Second Great Flood, predicted by Johannes Stoeffler/John Stoflems/John Stoflerous
        Johannes Stoeffler and/or John Stoflems and/or John Stoflerous (all three names have been used), an astrologer and mathematician of Suabia, Germany, predicted the destruction of the world by a second great flood, causing great panic. It's said that President Auriol, of Toulouse, France, respond by building a boat on top of four high pillars, to be ready for the coming flood.

1528 AD: Second Great Flood, predicted by Johannes Stoeffler

1529 AD, March 7: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Martin Luther
        On this date, Martin Luther, famous church reformer, stated his belief that recent visions in the skies were an indication that the end of the world ordained by God was near at hand.

1532 AD: End of the World, predicted by Frederick Nausea

1533 AD: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Melchior Hoffmann

1533 AD, October 3, 8 AM: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Michael Stiefel
        Being of a mathematical mind, and being a friend of Martin Luther and aware of the great man's belief that the end of the world was near, Michael Stiefel set out to calculate the precise date of the end from the various predictions presented within the text of the holy book, the Bible. His calculations led him to his startlingly precise prediction for the end of the world. He naturally shared his discovery with Martin Luther who, for some reason, was not able to be convinced that the end was actually that near at hand. Stiefel published his calculations, and won many followers... but his predictions caused such alarm that he was arrested on August 26 for disturbing the peace. He was let loose after Martin Luther came to his defense, on the condition that Stiefel not preach his beliefs anymore; but three days before his predicted date he raised the alarm again. When the appointed time came and past, the only thing that prevented Stiefel from being lynched by the churchful of disappointed followers were the words of Martin Luther. Stiefel made no more predictions.

1534 AD: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Matthysz

1535 AD, February 13: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Theodoret Sartor
        On the 13th of February, 1535, in Amsterdam, Germany, Theodoret Sartor told a group of men and women he was with that he had had a vision of God, in which he had gone to Heaven and Hell, and that he had been shown the day of the coming Biblical judgement of the Earth. Under his encouragement they all threw their cloths into the fireplace and went into the streets naked declaring that divine vengeance was at hand. The locals thought they were under attack, and came out armed and captured the group; in addition, the house the group had left had caught afire, and needed to be put out. Brought to the local judges, the small group of prophets refused to put on clothing. On March 28, the seven men involved were put to death.

1537 AD: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Pierre Turrel

1544 AD: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Pierre Turrel

1584 AD: End of the World, predicted by Cyprian Leowitz

1586 AD: End of the World, predicted by John Stoflems
        When his predicted flood of 1524 AD failed to show up and destroy the world, John Stoflems made a second prediction that the end would come in 1586 AD instead. Didn't work out for him either.

1588 AD: End of the World, predicted by Johann Muller/Regiomontanus

1591 AD: End of the World, predicted by William Hackett
        In London, England, 1591 AD, an ex-soldier named William Hackett declared himself the chosen King of the new Kingdom of God. Along with two followers, one declared to be the Prophet of Mercy and the other the Prophet of Judgement, Hackett proceeded to tell various Londoners that the Queen was now subservient to him by decree of God... only to find that they strongly disagreed with him. He was jailed and judged and, giving that he refused to change his beliefs, was considered enough a threat to the Queen that he was executed. One of his followers starved himself to death to follow his master; the other recanted and apologized, begging for mercy. Hackett never predicted the end of the world, but the inclusion of references to him in books about extreme religious views eventually added the idea that he might have predicted an end.

1624 AD, February 1: Second Great Flood, predicted by Astrologers, various

1648 AD: Second Coming, predicted by Rabbi Sabbati Zevi

1654 AD: End of the World, predicted by Helisaeus Roeslin of Alsace

1656 AD: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Christopher Columbus
        Yes, the same guy credited with finding the Americas for Spain. In his old age, Columbus co-authored a tome called the "Book of Prophecies" [written between 1501-1505]; in this book it is said that he felt that, since he had opened the remainder of the world to the influence of Christianity, he therefore felt that Christ would return soon and bring the end of this world, an event he predicted for 1656 AD. It must be noted, however, that the earliest I can find any mention of this prediction is in a book published in 1992, one year after the release of an English translation of Columbus' Book of Prophecies. Shouldn't it have been mentioned earlier?

1658 AD: Small Judgement Day, predicted by Walter Gastello/Gustello
        In this year, a gentleman named Walter Gastello (or Gustello) published a book that predicted two things: first, that Charles the II would be restored to the throne of England, and secondly that the city of London was soon to be destroyed by God. When his first prediction proved to be true, many panicked that his second prediction would prove just as correct. Luckily, it didn't.

1661 AD, January 19: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Thomas Veneer and the Fifth Monarchy Men
        Thomas Veneer was a winecooper in London who, for no obvious reason, led a force of at least fifty armed men one day in an attempt to kill King Charles II, the Duke of York, and the General (my source does not specify a name or title past this for the General). About half of the conspirators were killed along with about the same number of defenders before Veneer and his troops were subdued. At their trial, it became clear that Veneer's group, calling themselves the "Fifth Monarchy Men," believed the Biblical judgement was close at hand (specifically, coming up in 1666), and felt that they had been directed by "King Jesus" to defeat "the powers of the Earth"... which, roughly translated, meant they were supposed to overthrow the existing goverment. Veneer and a number of his men were convinced beyond fanaticism that their course was divine, and right up to their executions expected heavenly retribution to either save or avenge them.

1665 AD: End of the World, predicted by Solomon Eccles

1666 AD: Second Coming, predicted by Rabbi Sabbati Zevi

1693~1695 AD: Second Coming, predicted by John Mason
        Towards the end of his life, the Rev. John Mason of Water-Stratford, England, who was noted for his apparent intelligence and sanity on all other subjects, declared himself to be the character named Elias in the Bible who's job was to proclaim the return of Christ and the coming end of the world. Up to his death in 1695 he was fully convinced of the divine nature of his mission, as were a large number of followers.

1704 AD: End of the World, predicted by Cardinal Nicholas de Cusa
        A book written in 1880 claimed that Cardinal Nicholas de Cusa [1401-1464 AD/CE] predicted the end of the world would come in 1704 AD; this is supposedly based on biblical calculations made by de Cusa. However, I can find no earlier source mentioning this prediction, so it currently appears to have been made up and attributed to de Cusa well after the date... so it's likely not even a genuine prediction.

1719 AD, May 19: Comet Collision, predicted by Jaques Bernoulli

1736 AD, October 13: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by Whiston

1757 AD: End of the World, predicted by Emanuel Swedenborg

1761 AD, April 5: Biblical Judgement Day, predicted by William Bell

1774 AD: Second Coming, predicted by Joanna Southcott