Western History 70: What was the Black Death?

The Black Death (or Bubonic plague) was a pandemic that swept over Europe and Asia between the years 1346 and 1353 killing over 75 million people (possibly as much as 200 million). Its exact origin is still unknown but it was brought over to Europe by Oriental rat fleas associated with Black rats. These are believed to have entered the continent from Asia on merchant ships.
 The pandemic was also known as the Great Mortality and it initially spread across the Eurasian landmass as a result of the Silk Road. Its impact on European cities was severe – Paris lost half of its population, while the death toll in Hamburg and Bremen was as high as 60%. London also witnessed a death rate that exceeded 50% of the population. While certain areas of Europe were missed the death rates from the Plague caused immense labour shortages and resulted in the persecution of several minority groups. Jews were falsely accused of setting off the plague and there was a persecution of Jewish communities in Strasbourg, Mainz and Cologne and 150 others. The Romani also suffered accordingly as did certain Leper colonies.

While the plague burnt itself out by 1453 it recurred with a ferocity over fifteen times in Europe between 1346 and 1671 and nine times in England. The Great Plague of 1665 that preceded the Fire of London is believed to be a Bubonic Plague.

Later bouts were seen in China (1855-1869) and San Francisco (1900-1904) and despite modern treatments with insecticides and antibiotics the plague continues to resurface at select sites (such as Madagascar in 1995).

The Bubonic Plague is also thought to have been the disease that inflicted the Eastern Roman Byzantine Empire between 541-542 where it was known as the Plague of Justinian.