Nicolas Flamel (c. 1330–1418)

Nicolas Flamel was a French scribe and philanthropist living in the 14th and early 15th centuries. Historically, he's known as a successful printer and a wealthy man who left his fortune to charity. Over time, legends grew that he was an alchemist capable of transforming base metals into gold and discovering the secret of immortality. However, there’s no historical evidence supporting these mystical claims. Modern scholars view Flamel as a learned and generous individual, with legends about alchemy likely originating from later stories combining his reputable reputation with mythical alchemical pursuits.