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The Black Death. 1347 - 1351. What are Buboes??. The historian Barbara Tuchman wrote in her book, The Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14 Century, that… “ w hen the gap between the ideal and the real [in a society] becomes too wide, the system breaks down.”
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The Black Death 1347 - 1351 What are Buboes??
The historian Barbara Tuchman wrote in her book, The Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14 Century, that… “ when the gap between the ideal and the real [in a society] becomes too wide, the system breaks down.” We will assess the validity of this thesis by analyzing the major political, economic, social, and intellectual forces that contributed to a breakdown of society in the late 14 century and early 15 century.
Precursor to the Plague…The Famine of 1315-1317 • By 1300 Europeans were farming almost all the land they could cultivate. • A population crisis developed. • Climate changes in Europe produced three years of crop failures between 1315-17 because of excessive rain. • As many as 15% of the peasants in some English villages died. • One consequence ofstarvation & povertywas susceptibility todisease.
1347:Plague Reaches Constantinople! Pasturella Pestis …there were 2 forms of the plague: Bubonic and Pneumonic
The Symptoms A Buba forms, usually in the armpit and groin Septicemia Forms:almost 100% mortality rate.
Lancing a Buboe or Buba “all the matter which exuded from their bodies let off an unbearable stench; sweat, excrement, spittle, breath so fetid as to be overpowering; urine turbid and thick, black or red” (French Scientist)
The Disease Cycle Flea drinks rat blood that carries the bacteria. Bacteria multiplies in flea’s gut. Human is infected! Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound. Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.
Medieval Art & the Plague Bring out your dead!
Medieval Art & the Plague An obsession with death.
Boccaccio in The Decameron There were ten friends who rented a villa, just outside Florence and waited for the plague to catch up with them…they knew they were going to die! Each night they had dinner and amused themselves by telling bawdy, erotic stories…they thought they were going to die and so they were going to party!!! They didn’t…and Boccaccio wrote down the stories…was he bad?
Attempts to Stop the Plague “Leeching and Bleeding” A Doctor’s Robe
Attempts to Stop the Plague FlagellantsSelf-inflicted “penance” for our sins! They whipped themselves…which made them bleed!!!
Attempts to Stop the Plague…blame others! Pogroms against the Jews “Golden Circle” obligatory badge that had to be worn “Jewish” hat that had to be worn
A Little Macabre Ditty “A sickly season,” the merchant said,“The town I left was filled with dead,and everywhere these queer red fliescrawled upon the corpses’ eyes,eating them away.”“Fair make you sick,” the merchant said,“They crawled upon the wine and bread.Pale priests with oil and books,bulging eyes and crazy looks,dropping like the flies.”
A Little Macabre Ditty (2) “I had to laugh,” the merchant said,“The doctors purged, and dosed, and bled;“And proved through solemn disputation“The cause lay in some constellation.“Then they began to die.”“First they sneezed,” the merchant said,“And then they turned the brightest red,Begged for water, then fell back.With bulging eyes and face turned black,they waited for the flies.”
A Little Macabre Ditty (3) “I came away,” the merchant said,“You can’t do business with the dead.“So I’ve come here to ply my trade.“You’ll find this to be a fine brocade…” And then he sneezed……….!
Ring a ring a roses A pocket full of posies A tishoo, a tishoo, We all fall down A Nursery Rhyme
The Mortality Rate 35% - 70% 25,000,000 dead… …Or More???
What were thepolitical,economic,and social effectsof the Black Death??
Firstly, please understand that disease is a major determinant of human history. Socially, and politically, Europe was turned upside down… The church and the nobility…the two powerhouses of the Middle Ages lose prestige and power as a result of the plague. As a result the kings of Europe consolidate power…it is the beginning of the end of Feudalism Kings use a bureaucracy to rule, raise taxes, pass laws.. Serfs are in short supply…they can sell their labor to the highest bidder…their wages go up! The decline in food production led to higher prices which led to inflation The plague led to an overwhelming pessimism, to religious fanaticism, to suspicion of travelers, and to intolerance of Jews. EFFECTS
Questions: Why did Europe's population decline dramatically between 1300 and 1450? Regarding the Black Death:- What were its causes?- Why did it spread so quickly throughout Western Europe?- Where was it most virulent? How would you evaluate the status of women in the aftermath of the Black Death? How influential was misogyny in limiting women's activities and achievements? How was the Hanseatic League a trade monopoly? How did the adversities of the 14c affect urban life and medical practices? Identify some of the technological advances that changed European society by the early 15c? Now show me what you know…