black death
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 10: Europe in the Middle Ages: A.D. 1000-1500
The Black Death
Black Death..cont
• Black Death: Outbreak of bubonic plague that struck Europe from 1347 through 1351.
• It was the first cycle of European plague epidemics that continued until the early 18th century
• The term Black Death is not used to describe the plague until much later in history.
Black Death..cont
• The exact origin of where the Black Death originated from is
debatable, however most historians believe the black death originated somewhere in Asia
• The plague had spread west into the Middle East via trade routes west from China
• It is believed that Genoese & Venetian traders brought it to Europe from Egypt in 1347
• Or brought from the Black Sea port of Caffa
Black Death…cont
• Italy: The first Western European country the Black Death reached
• The Black Death was carried by rodents, in particular the fleas on rodents, and then transmitted to humans
Black Death..cont
• Contemporary doctors and theologians believed there
were two main causes of the Black Death
• 1) Imbalance of the body’s humors, fluids
• Emotional, dietary, or external factors like noxious orders could result in sickness, death
• Individuals were to eat moderately & avoid anything that could upset the body’s balance
Black Death..cont
• 2) God’s judgement on a sinful humanity
• Flagellants: Term for those who would ritually beat themselves as penance for their own & others’ sins
• These flagellants would hold processions through towns that lasted as long as 33 days, each day representing one year in the life of Jesus Christ
Black Death..cont
• Overall, European population declined by about 1/3, an estimated 25 million people died between 1347 & 1352
• In many European cities population may have declined by 50% or more
• Larger towns declined drastically, as their workforces & merchant classes either died or fled
Black Death..cont
• Another effect of the Black Death was the rise of intolerance towards outsiders or non-Christians
• Jews were accused of deliberately poisoning the water supply or air, and therefore, many were viciously attacked
• Persecutions only ended when the deaths from the plague began to decline
Black Death..cont
• The Black Death had a profound influence on the art & music of the time
• Many paintings were filled with images related to death, such as skelatons
• Grim Reaper: Character who came to symbolize the one who brings death during the Black Death
Economic Effect of the Black Death
• Wealth concentrated in the hands of survivors
• Wage increases, especially for skilled artisans
• Profits for landlords & merchants declined
Black Death..cont
• Governments were forced to adjust to the social disruption caused by the plague
• Governments attempted to regulate the movement & price of foods & wages
• Peasants’ Revolt of 1351: Reaction to the attempt by landlords to collect higher fees from tenant farmers
• According to some, the Black Death helped bring the end to feudalism in Europe