European Plague Crisis

In the late middle ages, there were three great calamities. The first was the hundred years war, which was multiple wars between England and France from 1337 - 1453, which had a great impact on medieval Europe, leading to the increased use of crossbow in battles and great changes in peoples daily lives. Another calamity was the black death, which was a large epidemic that swept through Europe in the 10th century. It was passed to ports and then overland by fleas living in the fur of rats. The third great calamity was The Great Schism, which was a period of division in the Roman Catholic Church. This happened over papal succession where there were three claimants of the papal office.

Monarchs prohibited exports of food stuff, condemned black market speculators, placed price control on grain, and outlawed large-scale fishing. These all contributed to the continent-wide downward spiral. France was unable to sell grain because of crop failures and shortage of labor. Any grain that could be shipped were taken by pirates and looters. Countries in the Hundred Years War depleted treasures, population, and infrastructure. Malnutrition, poverty, disease, and hunger with war, growing inflation and other economic concerns made Europe in the mid-fourteenth century full of tragedy. The social and economic change greatly accelerated during the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries. The church’s power was weakened and some social roles were replaced by secular ones. Peasants began to cause uprisings, such as France, Jacquerie rebellion. The reduction of Europe’s population from thirty-fifty percent could have resulted in higher wages, more land, and more food. Population losses brought economic changes based on increase social mobility and improved the situation for surviving peasants in Western Europe. In Eastern Europe, stringency of laws tied the remaining peasant population tightly to the land because it was hardly affected by the Black Death. Peasant revolts were less common in the east and the plague may be partly responsible for Eastern Europe’s lag in scientific and philosophical

The Black Death of the mid-fourteenth century will have the greatest impact on the 16th and 17th centuries. The plague caused the European population the drop by 25 to 50 percent, induced movements and many revolts, and prompted changes in urban life. The European population dropped by 25 to 50 percent between 1347 and 1351. So, if the European population was 75 million, this would mean the 18.75 to 37.5 million people died in four years. There were also major outbreaks that lasted many years until the end of the 15th century. Mortality figures were incredibly high. As a result, the European population did not begin to recover until the 16th century. It took many generations after that to achieve thirteenth-century levels. The plague induced movements and many revolts in Europe.

The Black Death of the mid-fourteenth century will have the greatest impact on the 16th and 17th centuries. The plague caused the European population the drop by 25 to 50 percent, induced movements and many revolts, and prompted changes in urban life. The European population dropped by 25 to 50 percent between 1347 and 1351. So, if the European population was 75 million, this would mean the 18.75 to 37.5 million people died in four years. There were also major outbreaks that lasted many years until the end of the 15th century. Mortality figures were incredibly high. As a result, the European population did not begin to recover until the 16th century. It took many generations after that to achieve thirteenth-century levels. The plague induced

Wars, attacks and invasions were common during the Middle Ages. The early period had seen the fall of the Roman Empire and this must have contributed to a destabilizing effect. For example, the Turks and Arabs attacked and conquered the people living in Romania, also known as the Byzantine Empire. As stated by Pope Urban II, “They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire” (Doc 9). As this quote shows the Turks and Arabs completely destroyed the empire. Also, in 842 there was a great slaughter in England that killed many people. as stated by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, “842 in this year there was a great slaughter in London and Quentavic and in Rochester” (Doc 3). As this quote shows, things seem chaotic, out of control and very unsafe during the middle ages. These wars, attacks and invasions caused mayhem but the situation only got worse when the system of government was eroded.

The Black Death is one of the worst disease in ancient history. It was an epidemic that killed millions of people between 1349-1351.Many people suffered from lack of care and lack of remedy, also it became difficult to find a medical person to diagnose such a horrible disease. Boccaccio, Tura and Venette describe the physical and social effect of Europe when the Plague had begun. In this selection, they describe how people respond and changed their behaviors .People were so scared from Plague therefore, some of them searched isolated place to abode .Another type of people would enjoyed the life with drinking ,singing, dancing, and telling jokes with each other and tried to forget the horrible disease. Other types of people believed to run away from effected place and they abandon all their family and belongings. Plague killed a lot of people and it effected on Europe’s population.

The Black Plague which was also known as The Black Death, first originated in Asia and spread across to the shores of Italy during October 1346. It is believed that the Black Death arrived in Europe with trading ships that arrived at the Sicilian port of Messina. Most of the people on board these ships were already dead, with others terribly ill. Many sailors had black boils on their body that were full of pus and blood. By the time the sickness was discovered by the authorities it was already too late because the disease had started to spread rapidly all around Europe.

Due to the incurable spread of the Black Death, a large amount of people died and affected the growth of the European population. Doctors refused to see people, and families were forced

The origin and transmission of the black death was all purely bad luck for those in Europe. It was first spread by the common black rat, Rattus Rattus, in the 1330’s. The rat itself could not spread the disease, but the fleas it carried did (Dobson). The plague is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia Pestis. It is spread by the bites of the fleas (“The Black Death”). Most of the time the plague stayed within the rat population, but when large numbers of rats were affected and die off, the fleas

The black death had a devastating effect on society. The country was torn between riot and disorder. The first Plague was followed by others milder each time but no less disjointing to society. Landowners and rich men were threatened with ruin by what seemed the crazy demands of the poor men to get higher wages. Wandering homeless man was for the first time masters of the labour market and Peasants from villages migrated to towns and cities, leading to the downfall of the Feudal System' When the plague was happening everybody thought it was a punishment from God for being too sinful, so what they did was pleasure god as much as they could but it still wouldn't work, so that made people lost faith and courage in Christianity and the church.

Before the Black Death, life in Europe was genuinely stable. People got sick, but doctors were there to treat them. The economy was not perfect, but it was able to provide the people with what was needed. The social aspect of Europe was run by the feudal system, similar to most other civilizations during this time. This all changed when the plague struck. Doctors no longer understood how to treat their patients infected with the plague. The social order was completely disrupted and people began questioning their identity. The economy began to crumble due to the fast spreading disease. This killer disease completely transformed the lives of Europeans. The widespread outbreak of the Bubonic plague impacted fourteenth century Europe in ways such as advancements in medicine, major changes in society and almost destroying the economy.

The black plague was killing many people in Europe. This started because of trade. The trade started in Asia, and rats jumped on the ships. The fleas came out of the rats, and bit tons

Late fifteenth century and early sixteenth century Europe are classified by a time of change and the start to new beginnings. The Black Death left all of Europe in shambles and in a state of extreme disorder. The population decreased dramatically and the economic, social and political state was extremely hindered. Through the reformation and renaissance Europe finally began to somewhat recover from this catastrophe. This time of change became a cultural movement all across Europe that began to reform and mend the problems that the people were dealing with. Social changes were made regarding the hierarchy in society. Political changes were made regarding the ruling of the city-states. And economic changes were made regarding available jobs

For the period of the Middle Ages, Europe went through a great ruin in the duration of the 5th and 15th century. Europe faced great blows from both sides of spectrum. For instance, one of the greatest fatal blows was the Hundred Years War. The war not only caused famine, and starvation all around Europe, but also included around 20 million recorded deaths. About one third of the population was wiped out. Countless towns in Europe had a loss of more than 40% of their population. In fact Paris lost half of its residents and Venice, Hamburg and Bremen are projected to have lost at least 60% of their populations.

Each spring the plague awakened, killing new victims. After five years, 25 million people were dead - 1/3 of Europe's population. Medical society never recovered from the results of the plague. The many deaths caused labor shortages all over Europe. This led workers to demand higher wages, which in turn led to more peasant revolts. The empty lands were then repopulated, redistributing the wealth. Also, a rise in the power of cities occurred as old feudal order survivors rebuilt. The plague also took its toll on the church as well. People throughout Christendom prayed for deliverance. When their prayers were not answered, questions began forming. Why isn't our God helping us? A new period of political turmoil and philosophical questioning lay ahead. Another contributing factor in the breakdown of feudalism was communication and commerce. Increased communication broke down the isolated manner in which feudalism bestows. Trade and commerce were also becoming a factor. The agricultural society of before was weakening due to contact with the Islams and the Mongol Empire. The alphabet was picked up and commerce opened up with the Mongols while Europe was still at war.