The Black Death Epidemic Plague Analysis

Medical knowledge in the Middle Ages was very limited and underdeveloped compared to modern standards. Throughout three waves of plague during the fourteenth century, the first one being The Black Death, an estimated 75 to 200 million people were killed. The Black Death (Yersinia Pestis) was an epidemic plague and demographic disaster that killed at least one- third of Europe’s population between late 1347 and the 1350s (“The Black Death, 2016). Every family would have been affected, causing widespread despair, fear and devastation among the population. It was transmitted to humans through infected rat fleas and although similar, it was much more contagious and deadlier than bubonic plague (Routt, & Whales, 2008). The extremity of the Black

This enormous fall in population also became a long-lasting issue that underlined many economic problems and developments (Benedictow, 2005). In addition, who died greatly influenced the economy and subsequent recovery. “The plague’s preference for urbanite over peasant, man over woman, poor over affluent, and, perhaps most significantly, young over mature”, proves that not only the weak and old members of society were affected (Routt, & Whales, 2008). The European economy was already struggling before the plague, approaching the limits of expansion due to unprecedented population growth and widespread famine (Levack, Muir, & Veldman, 2013 chapter 11.1). The Black Death marked the end of a long period of growth in terms of both population and economy of Europe. The recovery did not carry the total population of Europe to its pre-plague levels until the middle of the 16Th century. The repeated outbreaks of the plague prevented a quick recovery of the population (Pamuk, 2007; The black death and its consequences 293). The post-plague period was a time period of modernisation that eventually contributed to the transformation from a medieval to an Early Modern

In most regions, nine out of ten people relied on the soil to make a living. The decrease in the prices of agricultural goods was a lasting outcome, but along with higher wages, fixed rents and even ownership of land, peasants could still survive despite low grain prices. Over time, peasants accumulated greater purchasing power and their living standards improved. Another effect was large amounts of villeins settling in cities. The population loss led to the desertion of villages and the less desirable and attractive fields were abandoned. Between 1350 and 1500, over 1000 villages in England completely disappeared. In the cities, the population had suffered more from the Black Death. Moreover, the workforce had been more affected, so that cities had to attract workers from the countryside (Routt, & Whales,