Apocalypse in Europe: The Black Death

Written by Emir Taha Macit

The Black Death was a pandemic that struck Europe between 1347 and 1352 and is regarded as one of the deadliest crises in history. Resulting from plague, it claimed the lives of approximately 20-50 million people, amounting to 30-60% of Europe at the time. Originating in Asia and spreading to Europe through trade routes and ships, the Black Death was among the most devastating pandemics, leading to great loss and the collapse of certain political systems across a vulnerable Europe.

The pandemic resulted from three types of plague associated with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. They are differentiated by the way they enter the victim’s body. The most widespread of them all was bubonic. Transmitted by rats bitten by fleas, it had a mortality rate of roughly 50%. Then there was pneumonic, a less common but more lethal one. It was passed through coughing or sneezing and damaged the victim’s lungs, resulting in a near 100% mortality rate. The rarest was septicemic, in which the bacteria entered the body via open wounds or bites. The immediate entry into the bloodstream meant the victim had little to no time to become aware of their condition. As the most deadly one, it also had a near 100% mortality rate.

At the time, Europe was an overpopulated continent ruled by the strict ways of feudalism. It was struggling with societal crises along with famine and other agricultural issues caused by several unfavorable conditions, including a series of harsh winters and rains, and pressure on the population from the Catholic Church. The vast number of serfs and peasants led to overworked soil and put extra pressure on lords to keep authority. This resulted in higher taxes and stricter rules for peasants to follow. Overall, the kingdoms in Europe were structurally unstable, and centralized control was difficult for the king and his vassals to obtain. For all these reasons, Europe was in a highly fragile state just before the plague’s arrival.

The disease originated in China and Inner Asia, and was first introduced to Europe during Khan Jani Beg’s siege of the Genoese trading port of Caffa in Crimea. Then, it spread further to various Mediterranean cities through ships departing from the port. Reportedly, after the besieging army caught the disease, they started launching infected corpses into the city via trebuchets, possibly contributing to the start of the pandemic. Later, it slowly spread inland across most of Europe and North Africa, mainly through major trade routes, such as the Silk Road, and ships.

The disease devastated Europe, its effects described by Giovanni Boccaccio as so terrible that “brother abandoned brother, uncle abandoned nephew, sister left brother, and very often wife abandoned husband, and – even worse, almost unbelievable – fathers and mothers neglected to tend and care for their children as if they were not their own.” Its wrath was so catastrophic that it led cities to close their doors and dig up giant mass graves. People did not have time to have proper burials for their loved ones, and it drove them apart. Some even described the pestilence as “God’s wrath”. Assuming that the infection spread through foul odors, people tried to ward them off by carrying flowers, but no medieval remedies were able to save the majority of the population. However, the crisis ended up destroying the very system that had left Europe unprepared for its arrival.

As the years went by and seasons changed, cities were in quarantine. The relatively quick demise of its hosts meant the disease was not able to survive for long, and after the remaining victims passed away and natural immunity began to form, the main pandemic slowly came to an end. The death of so many peasants left the remaining ones more valuable to the lords. Once the peasants realised their power, they revolted, demanding higher wages, lower taxes, and better living conditions. Furthermore, the Catholic Church’s authority was brought into question after the people’s prayers failed to stop the pestilence and the death of various religious workers. The lowest class in the feudal hierarchy having more power than it used to, combined with this partial loss of religious faith, slowly led to the system’s collapse.

The Black Death was a catastrophic turning point in Europe’s history that altered the trajectory of various civilizations. Decimating the general population until its natural subsidence, it caused great suffering and systemic changes, leading to the fall of feudalism and leaving behind a politically weaker Catholic Church, paving the way for modern European civilization.

References:

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