The 14th century was a time when the threat of disease controlled European society, putting fear into every person’s mind. The Bubonic Plague was the disease that led not only to death, but to the abandonment of chivalry and sympathy. The disease first appeared in Europe in 1347, and by the end of 1348, it had traveled across most of Europe, leaving a trail of death (doc 1). With about one third of the population dead, Europe’s society was destroyed, but it was devastated further by the pessimistic and anti semitic attitudes many of the people had. As the Black Death traveled through Europe, it left thousands dead.From 1315 to 1322, the Great Famine caused starvation and death, weakening Europe’s population. Once the Black Death came into …show more content…
Some people believed that the plague came because of the sins committed in that town or city. As a result of this belief, Flagellants emerged. This group of people would publicly whip themselves in order to receive forgiveness of their sins and prevention of the plague. Others had a different view. Many people believed that the Jews, a non-Christian people, had poisoned their water, causing the plague. This theory led to an extreme hatred of the Jews and the killing of thousands of them. Thousands of Jews were burned and tortured.“Those who wanted to baptize themselves were spared”(doc 7). During the plague was not the only time Jews were targeted for their beliefs. During the First Crusade, on the Christian’s way to defeat the Muslims in Jerusalem, they killed thousands of Jews in the Rhineland Massacres simply because of their non-Christian beliefs. Religion was not the only motive for killing Jews during the plague. The feudal lords used the anti semitism as a way to profit; they “took the cash that the Jews possessed,” (doc 7). The purpose of“The Cremation of Jews in Strasbourg, Germany” is to show the reasons of the Jewish massacres based on religion and desire for wealth. The religious and monetary motives to eliminate the Jews tore apart European society which continued for many years