The Black Death

The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was one of the most devastating occurrences in the history of mankind, decimating the population of Europe by 25% to 50% within a period of 3 years.

The Black Death originated in China and was carried to Italy by 1347. From there, it spread like wild-fire.

Contrary to popular belief, the bubonic strain of the plague that caused dark swellings on groins and arm-pits was not the only manifestation of the disease. In actual fact, there were three strains of the plague, of which the bubonic one being the 'least dangerous', giving the infected person a life expectancy of one week from contagion. Some people even managed to survive this strain.

The other two strains were more fatal. One was a pneumonic strain that attacked the respiratory system. It was highly contagious and spread through exhalations. The third strain attacked the blood system and those who were infected died literally overnight.

Rattus Rattus - the black rat responsible
for the spreading of the Black Death

The Black Death wrought havoc in all aspects of life, not least because, with the very limited medical knowledge available at the time, no one had any idea how this pestilence was transmitted or what was causing it. Today we know that fleas carried by rats (the rattus rattus) were one way that the disease spread, but back in the 14th century many thought that the Black Death was God's punishment on mankind.

Any remedies proposed by doctors were useless to say the least. Many were downright ridiculous, and included sitting in sewers and applying shaved chicken bottoms to the swellings. For more bizarre plague cures propagated at the time, refer to Terry Deary's hilarious, but extremely well-informed Plague and Peril from the Horrible Histories Gory Story series:


Many sick people were abandoned and left to die miserably on their own by their very relatives. Rich people escaped to the countryside. Some survived, others just carried the contagion with them and spread it wherever they passed.

Eyewitness accounts of the plague tell us that the dead littered every corner of towns and villages. People who died in their houses were discovered when their neighbors smelled the stench of their rotting corpses. Dead, and sometimes dying, people were massed into common burial pits and their belongings and houses burned.

While the Black Death seemed to run its course after three devastating years, it did not completely die out, and sporadic bouts continued to occur from time to time for centuries later.

For an eyewitness account of the plague, read Boccaccio's description in The Decameron: http://www.themiddleages.net/life/decameron.html