... the Black Death

8/14/2019 ... the Black Death

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. . .. . .TheThe

BlackBlackDeathDeath


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DeathDeath

The Black Death was one of theThe Black Death was one of the

deadliest pandemics in humandeadliest pandemics in human

history, peaking in Europe betweenhistory, peaking in Europe between1348 and 1350. It is widely thought1348 and 1350. It is widely thought

to have been an outbreak of bubonicto have been an outbreak of bubonic

plague caused by the bacteriumplague caused by the bacterium

Yesinia pestisYesinia pestis, but this view has, but this view hasrecently been challenged.recently been challenged.


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Usually thought to have started inUsually thought to have started inCentral Asia, it had reached theCentral Asia, it had reached the

Crimea by 1346 and from there,Crimea by 1346 and from there,probably carried by fleas residingprobably carried by fleas residingon the black rats that wereon the black rats that were

regular passengers on merchantregular passengers on merchant

ships, it spread throughout theships, it spread throughout theMediterranean and Europe.Mediterranean and Europe.


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The Black Death isThe Black Death is

estimated to have killedestimated to have killed30% to 60% of Europe's30% to 60% of Europe's

population, reducing thepopulation, reducing the

world's population fromworld's population froman estimated 450 millionan estimated 450 million

to between 350 andto between 350 and

375 million in 1400.375 million in 1400.


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This has been seen asThis has been seen as

creating a series ofcreating a series of

religious, social andreligious, social andeconomic upheavals whicheconomic upheavals which

had profound effects on thehad profound effects on the

course of European history.course of European history.


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It took 150 years for

Europe's population torecover. The plaguereturned at various

times, resulting in alarger number of deaths,until it left Europe in the

19th century.


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Scientists and historians at theScientists and historians at thebeginning of the 20th centurybeginning of the 20th century

assumed that the Black Death wasassumed that the Black Death wasan outbreak of the same diseases,an outbreak of the same diseases,caused by the bacteriumcaused by the bacteriumYersiniaYersiniapestispestis and spread by fleas whichand spread by fleas which

primarily made use of highlyprimarily made use of highlymobile small animal populationsmobile small animal populationslike that of the black rat (like that of the black rat (RattusRattus

rattusrattus).).


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Once infected by the YersiniaOnce infected by the Yersinia

pestis bacterium, it ispestis bacterium, it is

estimated that victims wouldestimated that victims woulddie within three to seven days.die within three to seven days.

However, this view has recentlyHowever, this view has recently

been questioned by somebeen questioned by somescientists and historians,scientists and historians,


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and some researchers,and some researchers,

examining historical recordsexamining historical records

of the spread of disease,of the spread of disease,believe that the illness was,believe that the illness was,

in fact, a viral hemorrhagicin fact, a viral hemorrhagic

fever.fever.


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Some historians believe theSome historians believe the

pandemic began in China orpandemic began in China or

Central Asia (one suchCentral Asia (one such

location is Lake Issyk Kul) inlocation is Lake Issyk Kul) in

the lungs of thethe lungs of the bobacbobacvariety of marmot, spreadingvariety of marmot, spreading

to fleas, to rats, andto fleas, to rats, and

eventually to humans.eventually to humans.


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In the late 1320s or 1330s,In the late 1320s or 1330s,

merchants and soldiers carriedmerchants and soldiers carried

it over the caravan routes untilit over the caravan routes untilin 1346 it reached the Crimea inin 1346 it reached the Crimea in

South Eastern Europe. OtherSouth Eastern Europe. Other

scholars believe the plague wasscholars believe the plague wasendemic in that area.endemic in that area.


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In either case, from Crimea theIn either case, from Crimea theplague spread to Westernplague spread to Western

Europe and North AfricaEurope and North Africaduring the 1340s.The totalduring the 1340s.The totalnumber of deaths worldwidenumber of deaths worldwide

is estimated at 75 millionis estimated at 75 million

people, approximately 25people, approximately 2550 million of which occurred50 million of which occurred

in Europein Europe


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The Black Death is estimatedThe Black Death is estimated

to have killed 30% to 60% ofto have killed 30% to 60% of

Europe's population. It mayEurope's population. It may

have reduced the world'shave reduced the world's

population from anpopulation from an

estimated 450 million toestimated 450 million to

between 350 and 375 millionbetween 350 and 375 million

in 1400.in 1400.


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The plague is thought tohave returned every

generation with varyingvirulence and mortality

until the 1700s. Duringthis period, more than100 plague epidemics

swept across Europe.


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On its return in 1603, theOn its return in 1603, the

plague killedplague killed

38,000 Londoners. Other38,000 Londoners. Othernotable 17th-centurynotable 17th-century

outbreaks were the Italianoutbreaks were the Italian

Plague of 16291631, andPlague of 16291631, and

the Great Plague of Sevillethe Great Plague of Seville

(16471652), the Great(16471652), the GreatPlague of London (1665Plague of London (1665

1666)1666)


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and the Great Plague of Vienna (1679).and the Great Plague of Vienna (1679).

There is some controversy over theThere is some controversy over the

identity of the disease, but in its virulentidentity of the disease, but in its virulentform, after the Great Plague of Marseilleform, after the Great Plague of Marseille

in 17201722, the Great Plague of 1738in 17201722, the Great Plague of 1738

(which hit eastern Europe), and the(which hit eastern Europe), and the

Russian plague of 1770-1772, it seems toRussian plague of 1770-1772, it seems to

have disappeared from Europe during thehave disappeared from Europe during the

19th century.19th century.


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The 14th-century eruption of the Black DeathThe 14th-century eruption of the Black Deathhad a drastic effect on Europe's population,had a drastic effect on Europe's population,irrevocably changing the social structure. Itirrevocably changing the social structure. It

was, arguably, a serious blow to the Catholicwas, arguably, a serious blow to the CatholicChurch, and resulted in widespreadChurch, and resulted in widespread

persecution of minorities such as Jews,persecution of minorities such as Jews,foreigners, beggars, and lepers. Theforeigners, beggars, and lepers. The

uncertainty of daily survival has been seenuncertainty of daily survival has been seen

as creating a general mood of morbidity,as creating a general mood of morbidity,influencing people to "live for the moment",influencing people to "live for the moment",as illustrated by Giovanni Boccaccio inas illustrated by Giovanni Boccaccio in TheThe

DecameronDecameron (1353).(1353).


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. . .. . .

NamingNaming


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Medieval people called thecatastrophe of the 14th

century either the "GreatPestilence"' or the "Great

Plague".


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Writers contemporary to the plague referredWriters contemporary to the plague referred

to the event as the "Great Mortality".to the event as the "Great Mortality".

Swedish and Danish chronicles of the 16thSwedish and Danish chronicles of the 16th

century described the events as "black" forcentury described the events as "black" for

the first timenot to describe the late-the first timenot to describe the late-

stage sign of the disease, in which thestage sign of the disease, in which the

sufferer's skin would blacken due tosufferer's skin would blacken due to

subepidermal haemorrhages (purpura), andsubepidermal haemorrhages (purpura), andthe extremities would darken withthe extremities would darken with

gangrene (acral necrosis).gangrene (acral necrosis).


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However, the term is more likelyHowever, the term is more likely

to refer to black in the sense ofto refer to black in the sense of

glum, lugubrious, or dreadful asglum, lugubrious, or dreadful asto denote the terribleness andto denote the terribleness and

gloom of the events.gloom of the events.

The German physician andThe German physician andmedical writer Justus Heckermedical writer Justus Hecker

took that idea when hetook that idea when he

described the catastrophe indescribed the catastrophe in18321832


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in his publicationin his publication "Der schwarze"Der schwarze

Tod im vierzehnten Jahrhundert"Tod im vierzehnten Jahrhundert"..

The work was translated intoThe work was translated intoEnglish the following year, andEnglish the following year, and

under the influence of the choleraunder the influence of the cholera

epidemic of that time,epidemic of that time,


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"The Black Death in the 14th"The Black Death in the 14th

century"century" gained widespreadgained widespread

attention which coined theattention which coined thetermterm Schwarzer TodSchwarzer Todandand BlackBlack

DeathDeath in the German andin the German and

English speaking worldsEnglish speaking worldsrespectively.respectively.

... the Black Death

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