The Black Plague In Medieval Europe

The Black Plague devastated Europe in the mid-1300s, killing half of the continent’s entire population. It was one of the greatest crises of the Medieval time period, but it began the societal development that was necessary for Europe to evolve. The Black Plague was one of the most important turning points in the West during the Late Middle ages. It was the spark that began the gradual motion towards religious, social, and economic freedom. Before the Black Plague, the Roman Catholic Church was the most powerful institution in the West. Religion dominated every aspect of life. The Church controlled monarchies; kings were chosen by popes and cardinals, and the Catholic religion was unchallenged and unchanged. Peasants were not only controlled by the Catholic Church, but also the feudal structure employed in Europe at the time. The feudal society trapped its occupants in a rigid social hierarchy. There was no social mobility and no middle class. Social division was deep and wide, with kings,

Nearly half of the population was killed in less than a decade. When faced with the possibility of death, many people began to renounce the Church and engage in sinful behavior. European people did not know if God was punishing them of God simply could not stop the disease. Flagellants roamed the country, whipping themselves in the name of God, seeking atonement for their sins. This was the first of many seeds of doubt planted within European society, soon to blossom into conflict with the Roman Catholic Church. With the constant presence of death and disease, European society became obsessed with mortality. During the Plague, art was focused on death. Skeletons, tortured souls, and the dead and dying were ever present in literature and art. The Black Death inspired feelings of helplessness and terror through the European society, but soon gave way for important advancement in European