The Story of Nicolas Flamel (The Immortal Philosopher) - Harry Potter Explained
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2020
- Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. In this video, we’re going to be discussing the life of none other than Nicolas Flamel.
In my last video we looked at the story of Merlin, an enigmatic figure that appears to have made his way in to endless adaptations of folklore and pseudo-historical accounts. The way that his story is told in some instances makes it seem as though Merlin really walked the earth in exactly the way that he has been described to us. However, by analyzing the texts, we can deduce that Merlin was created by Geoffrey of Monmouth- combining two real and prominent historical figures - Myrddin Wyltt, A north Brythonic prophet, and Ambrosius Aurelianus, a Romano-British war leader. So, Merlin was real, in a way. But the thing that makes Nicolas Flamel even more of an enigma than Merlin, is the fact that he completely and totally existed, and his name and identity didn’t really change along the way. Like Merlin, Flamel is included in all sorts of folklore, pseudo-historical accounts, and even historical accounts- he’s all over the place, and it makes him that much more intriguing. His character and identity, the man he really was, was clearly interesting enough for people to adapt in to folklore, and that’s exactly the way Flamel found his way in to Harry Potter.
Let’s start by taking a look at the real Nicolas Flamel, the man that all of these fictional adaptations were based on. Flamel was a French scribe born in the year 1330 in the city of Pontoise- he lived in Paris for the majority of his life, and spent much time there over the course of the 14th and 15th century. Flamel was such an influential figure in Parisian history that there is even a road named after him, called ‘Rue Nicolas Flamel’. Even more interesting than that, one of Flamel’s original houses still exists in Paris to this day, at 51 Rue de Montmorency. It’s been expressed that Flamel’s former home is the oldest stone house in the city, and there is even an inscription on the wall which states:
“We, plowmen and women living at the porch of this house, built in 1407, are requested to say every day an 'Our Father' and an 'Ave Maria' praying God that His grace forgive poor and dead sinners."
On a day-to-day basis, Flamel worked as a scribe and manuscript-seller, and ran two shops offering these services in Paris. Flamel achieved a great deal of success in his career and as a result became quite wealthy. In the year 1368, Flamel would go on to marry his wife Perenelle, a generous benefactress who had a great deal of money from her former 2 marriages. Like Flamel, a road was named in her honour after her demise - rue Perenelle.
The pair were a couple of wealthy philanthropists who lived good, solid lives. Perenelle passed away before Nicolas, in the year 1397, and Nicolas lived until the year 1418- which was a considerable amount of time for someone to live in that era.
But posthumously is when things really start to get interesting for the enigmatic figure that is Nicolas Flamel. Sometime in the 17th century, hundreds of years after his death, legends started to appear about Flamel- claiming that he was a successful alchemist who A. Discovered the Philosopher’s Stone, and B. achieved immortality.
The Nicolas Flamel of the Harry Potter universe, like every other witch and wizard, of course also attended a wizarding school. In the early 14th century, Flamel began attending Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, a French wizarding school located in the Pyrenees Mountains of France. This is apparently also where he met his wife, Perenelle, who stayed by his side for their considerably long existence. Nicolas kept a relatively low profile for a lot of his life- remaining in his Parisian home and pursuing all sorts of alchemical endeavours. In the 1890s, Flamel first met Albus Dumbledore, who at the time was a brilliant teenager that showed immense magical promise. As mentioned on Dumbledore’s chocolate frog card, Dumbledore also achieved a great deal of success in alchemy during his lifetime, and I have no doubt that this was the result of joint-ventures with Flamel.
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This mans french is better than my french teachers
Haha
😂😂
awe story time
lol
Right!!!
Imagine how different Harry Potter would've been if Dumbledore had used the philosopher's stone.
Not different at all. The stone makes you immortal in a way that you can't die naturally, but you still can be killed by harming you physically
@@sadek__4952 wow thats interesting! never knew that before
@@Hello-cy9er there is no direct mention of this anywhere btw as all Rowling said is that it makes you immortal. But if it was powerful to even guard you from physical attacks Voldemort would have gotten after it from the beginning instead of making horcroxes
Dumbledore said the reason he (Voldemort) didn’t go after the stone as a permanent source of immortality is because he wouldn’t want to rely on something like the stone’s elixer to stay alive. But, I also think the way it works is correct, although if it could have been used to give voldemort a body, then who knows.
He wouldn't have the half foot beard probably.
As a Frenchman, let me congratulate you for the effort you put in pronouncing names !
Yea cause he is canadian.
My theory: if you put a dementor into a soundproof, windowless, doorless room with no human life or happiness nearby for a long enough time, can you starve a dementor to death?
Cedric Diggory thanks 😊
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t that just Azkaban before it became a prison? It was just a really really remote island with no emotional entities living in it. I mean sure, maybe a random muggle sailor might have accidentally stumbled across it, but is that enough to feed tens of thousands of dementors?
To my knowledge Dementors are not really alive, nor born or dying. They are "born" from despair, achieving consciousness if the despair stays around long enough. So, left to its own devices it would become less and less powerful and would vanish in the end. But you would need to keep it seperate for very long as it might become desperate the longer it is kept.
No because they already are nothing.
Hmm... Interesting!
Nicholas Flamel it's such an interesting, powerful figure, and very famous indeed, just like Merlin.
Every single characters on Harry Potter universe definitely deserves their own movies, all of them have so many interesting stories
I'm so glad youre finally covering this character! he really is such a mysterious figure in the books and movies isn't he?
Love how you're covering up underrated areas of Harry Potter. Love your channel. ❤❤
I remember reading the flamel series by micheal Scott and always compared the two. It’s super fascinating now that flammel is in the Harry Potter franchise and can’t wait what he does next.
Nicolas and Perenelle are honestly such a relationship goal
This is one of my fav characters in the harry potter franchise. Thanks for the video!
Your content is getting better and more interesting day by day .....Also, I want a special video for 200k subs.
Your French is really authentic. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but you seem to me to not have had any flubs.
Well I can tell the difference but he's pretty good
Cause he is canadian
@Rich Piranha - Natural freshwater Fish yeah, probably better than my english accent
@Rich Piranha - Natural freshwater Fish oh thanks man
I enjoy these videos on the ancient lore. Please do more
I love how they got a Jodorowsky to portray an alchemist
Can you do a video on the death eaters? I feel like we don’t know a lot of them aside from Bellatrix, Yaxley, Lucius, and Dolohov. It would be interesting to learn about the other lesser known members. 👍🏻⚡️
Kaena Choo yea
And grayback
Bravo sir bravo
We know travers
@@finngrummer3694 greyback and other dark creatures aren't death eaters but are a part of voldy's army
I knew of the historical Flamel, but I'd actually forgotten he was a character in the books. Thanks for reminding me. It may be time to reread them.
If you liked this video and want more about Nicolas Flame I strongly recommend a book series from Michael Scott - The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. You"ll defiantly like it. Have a great day!
This is a great video as Ive been watching how fictional ips have used Alchemy in their lore. Originally from watching a video on the references of Alchemy in Full Metal Alchemist and learning about the Alchemist Paracelsus and then seeing concepts such as the philosophers stone and remembered that was the title of a Harry Potter book and wanted to look up the same for the Harry Potter Universe lore.
great video and i hope you get more subs :)
I find this rather interesting that there a Nicholas in history and that JK used it in her books. JK is a brilliant writer, I hope she continues to write more about the wizarding world❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for the great video!!!!
Hey Harry Potter Theory! I wanted to make a video suggestion: What if Umbridge was a good person (Not Possible) or maybe why can't muggles see dementors?
Gold star work right here,sir.The rise and fall of the Black's. Magnificent 🔥.
Imagine living as long as Flamel only to be the SECOND oldest wizard
Bro I feel like you are better than Harry Potter folklore and movie flame as a YT 😃😃😃😃 you are underrated
Man I knew that voice w a s familiar.... your content is amazing man.
Flamel’s house on rue Montmorency is now a restaurant so it’s easy to visit. I used to live across the street and ate there often.
That was really good! I'm in pressed.
According to Wikipedia Flamel never lived in that house @Rue de Montmorency 51, although he did own the house (but he owned many houses).
very interesting and cool!!
This video made me realise how much flamel's story resembles the 3rd brother's one, embracing death as a good friend and all.
Totally fantastic and amazing job too
I appreciate the French accents when pronouncing French words, its great
I recall hearing a talk about Flamel back in the '80's. The 'expert' informed us that the reason this Legend had started was either that the date of death of Flamel was either lost or not recorded. Which is it? Has the date been confirmed since that time or was the Lecturer misinformed?
Great content everyday
I really wonder what's the secret behind the stone, since many would have tried through the centuries and never succeeded. I think it involves some kind of human sacrifice and very advanced magical skills in alchemy, and so for someone to exist with this skill and the will to do human experiment was so rare that only one achieved it in history. Any opinions ?
Well, that is a horcrux. Maybe the opposite with a special mix.
@@Jes1919 exactly, but something that includes killing in a different way and alchemy as well
Fullmetal Alchemist lmao
Thankyou, as I did not know about where JK got her inspiration from for the first novel!!!
From what I have read about the real Flanell he offered homeless people of Paris a place where they could stay overnight. The only thing he wanted in return was that they prayed for him. After his death rumors started spreading that he might be alive after all. When they opened his grave years later they were surprised to find that the tomb was empty. This discovery I forced the rumors that Nicolas was immortal or had at least found a way to extend his life considerably longer than what would be considered natural.
Jesus….
Song name, please? Can't seem to find anything by Juan Naranjo, is it specifically produced for this channel?
Have we figured this out?
Maybe you could make a video on Beauxbatons ? I know the subject as been seen time and time again. But the detail disparity between Ilvermorny and the other schools is pretty sadenning
I can't even speak french but this narrator is so natural
This channel is the God of Harry Potter 👌🏻👌🏻
@BryanMercado if your intrested in other harry potter channels i reccomend harry potter folklore and movie flame
The alchemist series by Michael Scott portraits him in a super cool way
What is the thing you are using threw out the video to show what happens? Is it a game? If so, what is it called?
I love Flammel's walk run in the movie
Did you know that there is a book series named after him called THE SERIES OF THE IMMORTAL NICHOLAS FISHER FLAME
Yes and they’re great.
How does one destroy a Philosopher's Stone?? Is it as simple as suppose using diffindo ro reducto or like horcruxes , and has a special way to destroy it??
A philosopher’s stone is incombustible in fire but soluble in any form of liquid so I’d imagine you just dunk it in some water and it will dissolve 🤷♂️
Amazing video. Just didn't like in FBCofG he was depicted as having brittle bones. Couldn't he have used skelegro or something. Not even Dumbledore talks about how weak his body is that's probably why Dumbledore didn't want to use the stone. I was kinda disappointed with his look. But I guess it was immortality not eternal youth. Though if the have a potion to make you older Fred and George. Why not a potion to make you younger.
Immortality may not be a blessing, as it's basically stretching your resources as thin as possible in order to survive as long as possible. Immortality has many forms in sci-fy and fantasy alike.
What if Harry’s son choose to go to a muggle school?
That would be stupid, being able to go to Hogwarts and going to a muggle school. (Just my opinion)
@@yomommasofatthanoshadtosna3479 thats not opinion thats fact
Melissa Haxhiaj obviously you would choose Hogwarts but in the books Albus Potter is nervous about going to Hogwarts and Harry says that he can always go to the local Muggle school. I just think it would be funny if choose to go to a muggle school and maybe it might alter the events in the cursed child 🤷🏻♂️
@@barrygormley2684 I don't know, but i don't really consider the cursed child as cannon, since it feels like reading a fan-fiction, and the characters act completely out of character, Ron becomes like Fred (kind of), Harry is a terrible father and person (told Albus he wishes he wasn't his son, threatened McGonnagall) Even Draco didn't act like himself.
@@yomommasofatthanoshadtosna3479 first of all he immediately regretted what he said to albus and it's a bit understandable because albus was quite rude and harry was stressed so it got spit out, and about mcgonagoll, he "threatened" her because of his SON!
Indeed a very fascinating story. One somehow cant help but ask, was there a connecting story linking the immortality of vampires with the creation of the philosopher's stone? Or was the was philosophers's stone discovered in the more ancient times of the egyptian caballa that was inherited by the hebrews before their exile out of egypt? And somehow Nicolas only rediscovered ancient egyptian magic ?
I’m kind of surprised Zhuge Liang of The 3 kingdoms era China didn’t make it into the Harry Potter, as historically he was one of the most intelligent men of his time period and he was a scholar, philosopher and inventor, and he is thought to have performed minor miracles, his most famous being praying at an altar for the southeasternly wind to blow during the battle of the red cliffs in 200AD, so narrative wise he could fit into the universe JK Rowling created as maybe one of the founders of a magical school in China
The reason he was born earlier than in real life is likely because Rawling overlooked the dates she tends to do that alot
The Immortal Philosopher is a great band name. Just throwing that out there.
i would like to see other parts of flamel's magical ability
he is aboviously a master of potions and alchemy, but I wonder about his dueling and trasnfiguration abilities whether he would be on par with some other figures
At 0:33 is when my mind went from "mhm mhm" to "wtf are you talking about?"
Did anyone see the mandorian, I would love for Warner Bros to make a series on how the 4 Hogwarts founders met and how they made Hogwarts perhaps even them teaching some lessons which could include us seeing merlin as a boy.
We love you bro
Interesting that at certain angles the Philosopher's Stone subtly is shaped like a human heart
Am I the only 1 who didn’t really understand? The words are too big!
i'v just finished the 4th book
Great video HP Theory Nicholas Flamel very interesting character I wonder if there’s anything else Dumbledore worked on with Flamel 🤔
You need do more search about Alchemist. There is history he lived many centuries, every time he was a young looking man due the elixir he took, until he decided go.
Hey HP Theory, are you a French-speaker? You seem to handle French “assez bien.”
I studied French for 6 months in France, but I am very rusty
Love it
It's crazy I'm watching this video, when about a week ago I was watching a video about "Pawn Stars" and a guy was on there attempting to sale an original copy of the book that was about the real life crafting of the philosopher's stone and Nicolas Flemel.
Can anyone be sure that 100s of years after the real Flamel died nobody just named a person in a tale Nicholas Flamel, not knowing they were an actual person, as a whole different unrelated person? Or that some trickster didn’t see the name and use it as a cover? It seems like way to long of a gap to be some deliberately using the scribe Flamel and creating this new life essentially for him
so who thinks that at some point soon, a group of people, with dumbledore at the head, will fight against grindlewald and co. and there will be some fan service mention of "the order of the pheonix"?
maaan your french on point
This man speaks any language if necessary in a video
It would be really fascinating to know the origins of the names of the characters in magical universe. Starting from Harry Potter and closing with Peeves. 😂
i know im a little bit late to the party, but if your interested in more content regarding nicolas flamel do yourself a favor.
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel and series of books was one of my favorite books series as a kiddo, give it a read if you can. i really wish it got the potter treatment in term of movies for which it has none :(
Victor Hugo mentions. Flames in the “hunchback of notra dam”
Imagine how bad would the unemployment be in the wizarding world where people live for more than 500 years
Maaan thats a really good point
I really think it's a silly question, but can anyone explain, how the Philosopher's Stone ended up in Harry's pocket in the first book😀?
I would love if you make a video on it 😊😊😊
The ones who wants the stone dont get it in the movie him in the mirror pointed to his pocket and there he saw what he needed but he did not want it
@@finngrummer3694 Thanks 😊😊😊
I think it was awarded to the person who didnt have any intention to use it
@@williamstryker7253 May be you are right, but when and how Harry received it???🙄
@@satyajit_2003 magic
Fun fact, in the HP movie, Hermione mentioned that last year he celebrated his 665th birthday. An oddly specific number don’t we think?
He came up with the Frag Trolls spell.
Is there any mention of other figures like rasputin or maybe imhotep
Mr. Flamel sure is cool!
I wonder if anyone tried to bring those two famous alchemist back to life
CZcams told me this was 14 seconds ago...yeah...it was 14 hours ago :(
Maybe he was born 4 years earlier in 1326 so he could be exactly 600 years old in 1926 in the FB2 movie??? Idk.
I love Nicolas Flamell story.
Can you do a video about Flitwick and the other Hogwarts teachers backstory's?
Made one on Flitwick already! Others to come
Harry Potter Theory
Hi love your vids
I was surprised to see him in the second Fantastic Beasts movie
ur the best
For all the comments congratulating his french, which yes, is good. He is Canadian. I expect he is fluent in french already lol. My aunt is Canadian and also fluent in french. It's a second native language to many canadians.
Well the idea of Flamel being physically weak and super old does have some issues. One is he could easily make strengthening potions. Being a master at alchemy I would also think he could counter the aging that still went on even though he was immortal.
Then there is the issue that being immortal, but still suffering from aging is never mentioned or alluded too by Dumbledore who even said in The Sorcerer's Stone that having as much riches and as much life that one wished for wasn't such a good thing. Yet he never mentions that Flamel still aged. It kind of contradicts the idea of immortality if you become so old and ragged that life becomes unbearable and flatly contradicts "As much life as one could want." statement by Dumbledore. It should be described as being able to keep one alive until one couldn't bear it anymore.
Rowling has contradicted herself at several points rather drastically. Like a Black Hermione when through 7 books there isn't a hint that she is anything but white. It causes contradictions and plot manipulation after the fact. She stated she didn't like using time travel in POA and so destroyed them in TOOTP, then brings back time travel in the universally disliked play The Cursed Child that she didn't write. I don't consider anything from the Play as canon and many other fans do not as well, it just causes to many issues. Harry yelling at his son that he wished he'd never been born is not the Harry of 7 books and 8 movies. Discrepancies like that make it hard to believe. The point of creating a fantasy world is not to start changing things just because, What? What's her point, a need to get Woke Culture all of a sudden by changing established characters?
I get and agree but where are the other two books and 3 extra movies of which you speak with Harry in them? Did I miss something?
@@averrial1394 Sorry, my brain must have had a vapor lock, I edited out the mistake.
Imagine if Yates paid the real John Major to cameo as the "Muggle PM" under the protection of Kingsley Shacklebolt at the beginning of Half-Blood Prince. Would have been far better than the cringe scene with the "robbed you of your evening, Harry" girl in the London Underground cafe
Your french is lit
Harry Potter is based on alchemy :) which I love. There's books about Nicholas Flamel
Wow I just learned Nicholas Flamel was real!
the stone!
Can you do a video about the Hogwarts ghosts?
Imagine he created the mirror of erised.
You sound like Vaatividya :D different accent though
Nicholas Flamel is related to Zatanna Zatara! Blessings and Hugs 💖💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕!
Was Herpo the Foul's horcrux destroyed? Cos if not that technically makes Flamel the third longest living wizard not the second longest
I know who the actor who actually plays Flamel
Is… but when I see him, I can only see Matt Smiths face aged. 😅
There is a set of books written by Nicolas flamel that you should read