What was the Black Death?


THE black Plague falls within the framework of crisis of feudalism. Between 1315 and 1317, heavy and constant rains fell on the European continent, destroying fields and damaging crops.

In this way, famine spread throughout Western Europe, hitting poor peasants violently.

The problems generated by climatic difficulties, combined with bad harvests and hunger, have triggered a series of social conflicts.

the life of medieval population it became extremely difficult as they lacked access to quality food, basic sanitation and hygiene.

This reality made both nobles and servants vulnerable to any kind of disease and Epidemic.

Thus, in 1348, the bubonic plague (or Black Death), coming from the Middle East, violently hit the Europeans, decimating about 30% of the population, causing a population decline already underway.

Black Death Propagation

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Initially, the spread of the disease was through infected mice and fleas that ended up transmitting the bacterium to stung people. In the human organism, it multiplied.

At a more advanced stage, the disease began to spread through the air, through the expelled droplets.

Black Death Symptoms

The plague was given the title “black” due to the symptoms that the person affected by it developed on the skin: large black patches followed by swelling.

They usually affected the regions where the lymph nodes were concentrated, such as the armpits and groin. The bumps were known as buboes, which is why it was also known as bubonic plague.

Death from the disease was painful and quick, ranging from two to five days.

Learn more at:

  • What is a pandemic?
  • The biggest pandemics in history
  • low middle age

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