The Scourge of the Fourteenth Century

619 Words2 Pages

The Black Plague of 14th century Europe was one of the deadliest scourges in history. It struck in 1347 claiming millions of lives in a horrific kind of death, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. No part of Europe was left untouched by this disease. No portion of society was spared in its horrific effects. Five years later, by 1353, the plague had run its course but it forever changed society as it had once existed in 14th century Europe. No one knows for sure from where this deadly disease originated. Most Scholars agree that it came out of China. It is there that the first cases of the plague were documented. From China, it spread both by land and by sea. By land the disease came with rats that were traveling on caravans in Central Asia by the Silk Road. By sea, it spread when the Mongols came down from Northern China to attack an Italian trading post at Crimea. Fighting ensued and millions fled on ships going to Genoa, Italy. Unfortunately for them, the ships were harboring rats and fleas infested with the deadly bacteria. Not only did most aboard the ships perish, b...

Open Document