The Crusades and the Black The Crusades and the Black DeathDeath

The CrusadesThe Crusades

• The Crusades were an attempt by the European Church to “reclaim the Holy Land”

• Jerusalem had been conquered by Arabs around 640 AD

• 1095 Pope Urban calls for first Crusade

Crusades

• Christian knights captured parts of Palestine/Syria

• 7 crusades in all from 1095-1300 including “Children’s Crusade”

• Popes wanted to keep armies out of Europe and increase power

Crusades

• By 1291 Muslims recapture all lands in “Holy Land”

• Crusades a failure-BUT- open Europe up to Middle East trading, new knowledge and technologies- Europeans go explore

The PlagueThe Plague“Black Death”“Black Death”

• BUBONIC - The bacteria from flea bite invades lymph node -causes great swelling. Internal bleeding starts

• Blood dries under the skin and turns black , hence the name "Black Death".

The CulpritsThe Culprits

The Plague

• Enters Europe from Asia spread by rats

• Caused 25 million deaths throughout Europe

• Superstition/ Fear spread in Europe-Jews blamed

The Plague

• Plague affected authority of Church-which did not have answers

• Feudalism changed-workers so scarce could demand high wages

• Population wouldn’t increase until 1400s

Lancing a BuboeLancing a Buboe

The Disease The Disease CycleCycle

Flea drinks rat blood that carries the

bacteria.

Flea drinks rat blood that carries the

bacteria.

Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.

Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.

Bacteriamultiply inflea’s gut.

Bacteriamultiply inflea’s gut.

Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.

Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.

Human is infected!Human is infected!

Medieval Art & the Medieval Art & the PlaguePlague

Boccaccio in Boccaccio in The The DecameronDecameron

Boccaccio in Boccaccio in The The DecameronDecameron

The victims ate lunch with their friends and

dinner with their ancestors.

Medieval Art & the Medieval Art & the PlaguePlague

Bring out your dead!

Attempts to Stop the Attempts to Stop the PlaguePlague

A Doctor’s Robe

“Leeching”

The Mortality

Rate35% - 70%

25,000,000 dead !!!