The Black Death
The Black Death is a well known name for one of the most well known plagues in history and possibly the most destructive. There are accounts describing the two form of the plague at that time, the Bubonic plague, which was more common and killed about 50-60% of infected people, and the Pneumonic plague, which was less common but more fatal. The Bubonic plague spread North quickly in the form of the Yersinia Pestis bacterium, which was commonly transmitted by fleas usually located on rats. The Pneumonic plague was equally easy to contract as it was simple to transit the disease by brief contact with an infected person.
Spread of the Plague
The bacterial outbreak known as the Black Death first appeared in Asia and remained there for some time. By the middle of the 13th century Mongol troops had moved through Asia and had marched North accompanied by the black rats carrying the contagious fleas. The Mongols reached a part of Asia where the trade routes had penetrated and the rats abandoned the troops and jumped on board the countless caravans that moved westward towards Europe. By 1346 the disease had made it to Caffa, a city next to the Black Sea, by means of trade. Finally in October of 1347 the plague was transmitted to Europe as merchants brought it to Sicily from Caffa. From there the disease took root all to quickly and spread northward at an exponential rate:
Year Effected Countries
1347 Sicily, Italy, S. France, Parts of Spain
1348 All France, Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), Germany
1349 England, N. Europe, Scandinavia
1351 E. Europe, Russia
While the plague spread over all of Europe within 5 years E. Europe was never effected as much as the West. Italy, however, was hit the hardest as it had many more ports and because of that many more trading routes with the East. This gave Italy more chances to receive the plague, and in fact in most regions of Italy 50-60% of the population was killed. Other countries such as England and Germany suffered as well loosing upwards of 40% of the population, but none lost as much as Italy. By the time the first outbreak ended it is estimated that anywhere from 25-50% of the European populace, thought to be around 75 million, was lost. Because of the high death toll and the small outbreaks of the plague for the next hundred years it took Europe until about 1500 to return to its post 1300's state.
Year Effected Countries
1347 Sicily, Italy, S. France, Parts of Spain
1348 All France, Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), Germany
1349 England, N. Europe, Scandinavia
1351 E. Europe, Russia
While the plague spread over all of Europe within 5 years E. Europe was never effected as much as the West. Italy, however, was hit the hardest as it had many more ports and because of that many more trading routes with the East. This gave Italy more chances to receive the plague, and in fact in most regions of Italy 50-60% of the population was killed. Other countries such as England and Germany suffered as well loosing upwards of 40% of the population, but none lost as much as Italy. By the time the first outbreak ended it is estimated that anywhere from 25-50% of the European populace, thought to be around 75 million, was lost. Because of the high death toll and the small outbreaks of the plague for the next hundred years it took Europe until about 1500 to return to its post 1300's state.
Life and Death: Reactions to the Plague
Along with the disease and eventual death caused by the plague came a type of psychological disease. That being that many people in Europe abandoned the idea of a normal kind of life, one with order and structure, and instead fled to fulfill their whims and satisfy there vises. This behavior was a result of a, "Live for the moment because you'll be gone tomorrow," type of mentality.
Other, slightly more sensible Europeans, such as those known as the flagellants did not view the plague as a pass to put yourself and your wants first, but they viewed it in quite the opposite way. They, along with many other Europeans, believed one of two things; that the plague was sent as punishment by God or that it was sent by Satan. The flagellants believed it was punishment and as a result travelled across Europe, likely preaching their beliefs, whipping themselves in an attempt to earn God's forgiveness. The erratic and strange behavior of this group did cause Europe to stir wherever they went and they were eventually outlawed by Pope Clement VI in 1349 and completely decimated by 1350. This was due to the groups tendency to persecute Jews and kill Church authority who opposed their views.
The flagellants, however, were not the only ones to persecute the Jews as the rest of Europe soon came to blame Gods people for causing the plague by poisoning the wells. While Jews were persecuted everywhere the worst was in Germany as about 6o Jewish towns, cities and villages were completely destroyed by pogroms.
Other, slightly more sensible Europeans, such as those known as the flagellants did not view the plague as a pass to put yourself and your wants first, but they viewed it in quite the opposite way. They, along with many other Europeans, believed one of two things; that the plague was sent as punishment by God or that it was sent by Satan. The flagellants believed it was punishment and as a result travelled across Europe, likely preaching their beliefs, whipping themselves in an attempt to earn God's forgiveness. The erratic and strange behavior of this group did cause Europe to stir wherever they went and they were eventually outlawed by Pope Clement VI in 1349 and completely decimated by 1350. This was due to the groups tendency to persecute Jews and kill Church authority who opposed their views.
The flagellants, however, were not the only ones to persecute the Jews as the rest of Europe soon came to blame Gods people for causing the plague by poisoning the wells. While Jews were persecuted everywhere the worst was in Germany as about 6o Jewish towns, cities and villages were completely destroyed by pogroms.