The Black Death

The Black Death – Ellen Kearney

The essay topic this week asks us to explore whether the Black Death caused economic and social upheaval in Medieval Europe, so it is important to first gain an understanding of what life was like before the Black Death hit in 1348. As discussed in this week’s readings, life had begun to improve for much of Europe from roughly the second half of the 13^th century, with great increases in population, urbanisation and the development of the “proto-renaissance”. Florence and Venice provide us with a great example of two urban centres on the brink of great change. In this era (1250-1350) we see a shift towards a more oligarchy society (with a few attempts made to construct some form of democracy), the formation of specialised guilds and expansion of these two centres to accommodate for their ever-growing populations. Within these urban centres the formation of guilds and the complexity within manufacturing processes opened up pathways for profit, creating an economic and social hierarchy between the wealthy merchants and the subordinate workers.

The readings outlined that this period is often referred to as the ‘early renaissance’ or the ‘proto-renaissance’ with the emergence of new ways of thinking, new “expressive literary language” and the evolution of new architecture.  Giotto di Bondone, Dante Alighieri, Giano Della Bella, Giovanni Boccaccio and Francesco Petrarch are highlighted as the founders of renaissance thought at this time, with their ideals providing a basis for the thoughts of their successors in the later renaissance. The creation of new architecture throughout this period helped create a more desirable and stable society.

Striking Italy in 1348 the Black Death had disastrous effects on the European population, which in 1347 was sitting comfortably around 75 million inhabitants, by 1352 had fallen to a mere 50 million. This fall in population resulted in severe labour shortages, subsequently leading to higher wages, resulting economic disruption and the end of feudalism. Socially, smaller communities evaporated, fleeing to cities where disease and plague spread rapidly. Community ideals were lost as many individuals sought to preserve their own lives. There was a resulting impact upon the Church as many prayed for deliverance from the plague, and were forced to question their philosophical ideals.

Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411)

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The movement in ideas and arts that would eventually become known as the Renaissance was interrupted by the arrival of the Black Death in Europe. Now known as the Yersinia pestis, the plague probably assumed all of its known in Europe from the 14^th to 18^th centuries. The most common form of the plague however was the bubonic infection, which was carried fleas, in turn carried by rodents. The plagues septicaemic form entered the bloodstream causing death within hours and the pneumonic form entered the body through the lungs, spread by droplets and would kill a person within days. This from was spread from person to person rather than via fleas.

The Black Death originated in Asia, arriving at Messina in 1347, Sicily, where it was borne by merchant galleys that had traded with Byzantium and Crimea. From here rats carrying the disease came onto Italian soil, traveling throughout the winter of 1347-8, flaring up in the summer, and tens of thousands died, and populations declined by rates of one or two thirds. The plague was worst in urban areas, although it hit the country side hard as well. The rural population had been weakened by waves of famine from 1339-40 and 1356-7. The plague returned in each new generation, although with less force then the first years, carrying off the elderly and the young.

When the plague first struck in 1348, Italy was completely unprepared, and as a result was unable to resist. The physicians trained in theory from Galen and Aristotle, originating from around c.130-c.201 C.E., and were ignorant of infections, contagion and quarantine. With no antidote, doctors would refuse to treat infected people, some thinking that the plague was a result of poisoned air, recommending moderate habits, filtered air and closed windows.

There was an upheaval to their lives, as they were unable to live as they used to. Shown by the interruption of their progression towards the renaissance, they became less focused on this and more on survival, as the plague left a swathe of dead across Europe. Fathers would abandon their sick sons, and bodies went unburied, as the church was unable to help. In some places the members of the church had fled with the rest of the population, and in others they had helped care for the sick. This brought the plague to them, and in many cases heavily reduced the population of its members.

--Callon

[Editor's note: Matthew's contribution to come...]