Black Death

Medieval painting from 1353 showing the citizens of Tournai (today in Belgium) burying victims of the Black Death

Historical Context

The Black Death was the single worst pandemic in the history of the world. Peaking between 1347 and 1351 in Europe, estimates of the death toll vary widely, but is generally believed to have killed between 50 to 125 million people. The Black Death was essentially the spread of the disease known as plague (which is sometimes used to refer to the pandemic itself), caused by the Yersinia pestitis bacterium which was carried by the fleas on black rats.

The infection is believed to have originated in China or Inner Asia. Carried along the Silk Road trading route, it destroyed the army of the Mongol ruler Jani Beg, who was besieging the Genoese town of Kaffa in the Crimea. Attempting to weaken the defenders, he flung infected corpses at the Genoese inside the city. Infected sailors went back to their hometown in Genoa, Italy, thus beginning the European outbreak.

The bubonic plague (a distinct form of plague) would cause large swollen spots under the armpits and on the legs, neck and groin; this was followed by vomiting of blood and acute fever. Bubonic plague had a fatality rate of around 80%.

The Black Death had a vast effect on European society. Jewish people were persecuted relentlessly by many during the outbreak, as rumors spread that Jews had deliberately poisoned wells combined with a deep reservoir of medieval antisemitism. On February 14, 1349, several hundred Jews were burned to death in the city of Strasbourg.

Since around half of Europe's population was wiped out in an exceptionally short period of time, labor suddenly became extremely scarce, and wages for peasants much higher. Tensions around this would be one of the causes of the Peasants' Revolt in England in 1381.

Recurrences of the plague happened throughout the centuries. Europe's population did not recover to pre-Black Death levels for 200 years; some places that were extremely hard hit, like Florence, took until the 19th century to recover.

Painting Info

Artist: Pierart dou Tielt
Location painted: Europe and Asia
Source: Ancient History Encyclopedia

Related Events

1345-03-20 Conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, thought by scholars at the University of Paris to be the "cause of the plague epidemic" known as the Black Death. Actual cause was the bacterium yersinia pestis spread by fleas, rats and other animals.
1348-05-08 Ship from Bordeaux carrying the plague, lands in Melcombe Regis (now Weymouth), Dorset. The beginning of the Terrible Pestilence (Black Death) in England.
1348-07-06 Papal bull of Pope Clement VI issued during the Black Death, states Jews are not to blame and encourages their protection
1348-11-01 The Black Death reaches London on or about this date
1349-02-02 By this date at least 200 people a day were being buried in London as a result of the Black Death
1349-02-14 Black Death Massacre: 900 Jews are burned alive in Strasbourg and similar number banned from the city after being blamed for the spread of the Black Death; part of a wave of pogroms across Western Europe
1349-03-21 Black Death Massacre: Between 100 and 3,000 Jews are killed in Black Death riots in Erfurt, Germany; part of a wave of pogroms across Western Europe
1349-03-22 Black Death Massacre: Townspeople of Fulda, Landgraviate of Hesse massacre Jews, blaming them for the Black Death; part of a wave of pogroms across Western Europe
1349-08-24 Black Death Massacre: 6,000 Jews, blamed for spreading the Bubonic Plague, are killed in Mainz, Electorate of Mainz; part of a wave of pogroms across Western Europe
1349-12-05 Black Death Massacre: 500 Jews of Free Imperial City of Nuremberg massacred during Black Death riots; part of a wave of pogroms across Western Europe
1377-07-27 First example of quarantine in Rugusa (now Dubroknik); city council passes law saying newcomers from plague areas must isolation for 30 days (later 40 days, quaranta in Italian)