Black Death 1348

Black Death
1348

Having started in China in the mid-1300s the Black Death or Bubonic Plague first infected Europeans in 1347 when Mongols sieged the port of Caffa. Fleas on rats carried the bubonic Plague. Merchants and sailors from an Italian town called Genoa defended the port of Caffa and when the Genoese sailors and merchants returned to Europe they brought the plague with them. The plague then infected English soldiers on leave from the Hundred Year War carried the disease back to England in 1348. The result would be one of the most disastrous and tragic 4-year events in history as it gradually spread through most European cities.

The Black Death had an enormous impact on Europe as its spread had devastating consequences. One of these consequences was a sudden depopulation of Europe that wiped out 30% of its population. By the time the Plague had hit England its population of 4.5 million was decreased dramatically to just 3 million.

With major population decrease labour became scarce resulting in a lack of people on farms to produce the food needed. Because of this there was a shortage of food which lead to inflation. At the same time wages rose to encourage people to stay on the land. Landlords were temporarily disadvantaged as peasants had increased bargaining power over their conditions as a result of the massive depopulation. This would later lead to the end of Feudalism.

Further effects of the Black Death were increased urbanisation as peasants who could not find employment on the land moved to the cities. There was an economic downturn as trade reduced when people feared a spread of the plague and trades were lost as the people who understood how them died of the Plague.

The devastation caused by the Plague also had significant psychological effects on the population of Europe. Some felt it was only a matter of time until they died from the Plague leading to a decline in moral constraint, suspension of conventional values “and an increase in people enjoying life to the full” resulting in religious truths and authority being questioned, and historic figures such as Martin Luther rebelling against the Catholic Church and the Pope.

The Black Death or Bubonic Plague had a huge impact on Europe and had devastating effects on the population. With the Black Death consequences such as increased power of peasants as labourers and decline of conventional values and moral constraints lead to people rebelling against authorities and the church resulting in the end of the feudal system. The Black Death wiped out 30% of Europe’s population and the feudal system was no longer accepted as the way to organise land and social status.