Europe in the 14th century was characterized by growing trade networks, allowing for the exchange of commodities and culture across continents. Ships frequently traveled from Europe to Asia and back, providing a constant flow of goods and people. However, unbeknownst to the people, these ships were carrying a plague that had devastated Asia and was now about to spread to Europe and cause mass devastation, with 1/3 of the population dying from the new illness.
Today, it’s known as bubonic plague and is usually resolved with a prescription of antibiotics, but in the Middle Ages, it was known as “the Black Death”, a fatal disease. It is believed to have first spread to Europe through ships in Italy, that came back on a trip to Asia, unknowingly bringing back rats with them. The rats they brought back were infested with fleas, the natural carriers of the plague, and the developing urban landscape of European cities provided an ample environment for the disease to rapidly spread. Medical authorities back then offered little help, usually associating the plague with the “wrath of God”. Many different treatments were tried, which were almost always ineffective and sometimes even detrimental. In the end, this first wave of plague started to die down in the early 1350s.
Even as the plague started to become less of an issue, it’s effects were widely felt. Modern estimates put the death toll between 25 million and 50 million, a large number of people by modern standards and an incredibly substantial number by medieval standards, resulting in mass labor shortages, haltings in trade and agriculture, and breakdowns in society. It left a lasting mark on history, society, religion, and art, as shown by the “Dance of Death (Danse Macabre)” motif, which became a recurring artistic theme.
Aside from cultural effects, the loss of labor resulted in increased wages in rural areas, resulting in mass migration to urban areas, accelerating urbanisation in Europe, and also causing the decline of feudalism. The appearance of a merchant class following the increase in cities and urban populations would be an important factor in the upcoming Renaissance.
The Black Death’s effects can be seen in pop culture as well, most prominently in the shape of a “plague doctor” figure, which has become a common presence in many media sources and works over the past decades.
Debates about the Black Death’s effect, the broader causes of the outbreak, death tolls, and estimations are still ongoing; however, it’s undoubtedly a major point in both European and collective world history for its effects, which stretch over centuries and can be seen even today. Overall, the Black Death is an important point in human history, a time capsule and a roadmap showing how far we’ve come, one that likely will not be forgotten any time soon.
