The Black Death

The Black Death The Black Death was a plague which took place from 1347 C.E. to 1352 C.E. This sickness, a plague with the scientific name of “Yersinia Pestis” ravaged Europe and Asia during the fourteenth century, resulting in the death of around one third of the population of the world. In October of 1347, the first recorded prominent arrival of the plague in Europe for the first time at the Sicilian port of Messina. When ships arrived at this port, “people gathered on the docks were met with a horrifying surprise: Most sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those still alive were gravely ill and covered in black boils that oozed blood and pus. Sicilian authorities hastily ordered the fleet of “death ships” out of the harbor” (Bettmann 1). Although most of the recorded deaths of the plague were recorded in Europe, the plague is thought to have “originated in Asia over 2,000 years ago and was likely spread by trading ships, though recent research has indicated the pathogen responsible for the Black Death may have existed in Europe as early as 3000 B.C.” (Bettmann 1). This disease was carried by gerbils, and came from them originally. The reason that the Black Death spread so quickly and extensively in Europe is due to the uncleanliness of Europeans in this era, and how close they lived together. This disease is airborne, and can be spread through physical contact. From this plague, people would develop black, diseased skin on their bodies, and bubos full of puss everywhere. Along with the mass number of deaths during this plague, religious persecution affected different groups of people, some more harshly than others. People who practiced Hebrew were the most highly persecuted during this time, due to the Christian belief that God put this upon them because not all people on earth worshipped Jesus. Although Jewish people were exiled from cities, burned inside of their temples, and mass suicides were forced, many Jewish people were actually protected from the virus through their cultural practices. It has been stated that “Many historians believe that halacha mandating hygiene practices like netilat yadayim (handwashing), quick burial of the dead, and tahara (ritual purity); and arvut hadadit, mutual responsibility among members of the community protected Jews – at least from death – by reducing the spread of disease. Halacha also contains strict rulings on isolation” (Hatfutsot 1). Proper hygiene practices and isolation may have saved many lives through eliminating some of their susceptibility to the disease because they were cleanly, unlike Christians. Avignon, France was a city that was very affected by the Black Death. The Church went from its apex of power in this area to a low point, which happened due to the authority of the Pope being harmed. People thought that God was angry at them and sent down a plague to wipe them out, and the Pope of Avignon did not adequately speak to the people, which meant that, “The plague came at a critical moment for the Church, and the papacy at Avignon did not adequately rise to the challenge. Inevitably, the poor response led to intense criticism, general distrust of the Church, heretical movements, and eventually, the Reformation” (Para 1). While some distrust in the church came after the plague, some Christians did keep a good worldview, even leaving a tradition today of visiting a church when ill. Aside from religion, the Black Plague also deeply impacted trade as well in these times. In the 14th century, new trade routes were being discovered, and new expeditions were being taken. Around Southern Europe, “By the 1300s, several Italian city-states had established trade relationships throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The Genoese had a successful colony at the city of Kaffa on the Crimean Peninsula, which they held with the permission of the Mongol rulers of the region. In 1344, disagreements between the Genoese and the Mongols led to conflict” (Khan 1). While in the midst of a new era in trade, the bubonic plague devastated this area. Mongol troops were infected and nearly wiped out, and people in highly infected areas traveled to Constantinople, spreading the disease there. Commonly, boats were arriving at ports with almost every person on them dead. People coming in close contact with each other in places like ships, hostels, and other places spread the disease quickly. The plague “traveled with Genoese merchants back to Italy, first to the port of Messina in 1347, and then north through Europe over the next several years” (Khan 1). The Black Death spread extensively upon the silk road, and while merchants and missionaries traveled the silk road, “In the process, the traders and their animals also passed along contagions, which spread slowly and gradually between points along the Silk Road. As bad luck would have it, the route also brought travelers in close proximity to what some researchers point to as a source for a particularly dangerous disease” (Kiger 1). The Black Death spread through many forms of transportation on the silk road, and ended up infecting many people this way. When the Black Death hit Europe, so many people died because “it attacked a population that already was weakened and malnourished by the brutal nature of the feudal economy” (Kiger 1). Europeans were already struggling economically and politically at this point, and the plague was only the tipping point for a major historical event, resulting in the death of many people. Yersinia Pestis made an impact on the world in a few ways, all which if this plague had never happened, the world may be much different. Deaths from the plague were extensive, and if this event had never happened, the world may have no example for why it is important to stay cleanly. Major impacts from it are still lasting, and it is a moment of history to learn and grow from.