The Late Middle The Late Middle AgesAgesThe Hundred Years War The Hundred Years War (1337-1453)(1337-1453)

The Black Death The Black Death (1347-1351)(1347-1351)

Crisis in the Church Crisis in the Church (14(14thth & 15 & 15thth Centuries) Centuries)

The Famine of The Famine of 1315-13171315-1317

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 1347: Plague Reaches Reaches

Constantinople!Constantinople!

Spread of the Black Spread of the Black DeathDeath

The CulpritsThe Culprits

Yersinia pestis

Flea

Black Rat

The Disease The Disease CycleCycle

Flea drinks rat blood that carries the

bacteria.

Flea drinks rat blood that carries the

bacteria.

Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.

Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.

Bacteriamultiply inflea’s gut.

Bacteriamultiply inflea’s gut.

Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.

Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.

Human is infected!Human is infected!

Three Types of PlagueThree Types of PlagueBubonicBubonic – Excruciatingingly – Excruciatingingly painful swellings of lymph nodes painful swellings of lymph nodes (buboes) in groin area and under (buboes) in groin area and under armpits. Vomited blood. Death armpits. Vomited blood. Death usually came within 5 days.usually came within 5 days.

SepticemicSepticemic – Attacked blood more – Attacked blood more swiftly and usually killed within 3 swiftly and usually killed within 3 days.days.

PneumonicPneumonic – Airborne when – Airborne when plague victims coughed or plague victims coughed or sneezed. Usually fatal within 24 sneezed. Usually fatal within 24 hours. Almost always fatal.hours. Almost always fatal.

The The SymptomsSymptoms

Bulbous

Septicemic Form:

almost 100% mortality rate.

From the From the Toggenburg Toggenburg BibleBible, 1411, 1411

Attempts to Stop the Attempts to Stop the PlaguePlague

A Doctor’s Robe

“Leeching”

Attempts to Stop the Attempts to Stop the PlaguePlague

Flagellanti:Self-inflicted “penance” for our

sins!

Boccaccio in Boccaccio in The The DecameronDecameron

Boccaccio in Boccaccio in The The DecameronDecameron

The victims ate lunch with their friends and

dinner with their ancestors.

What was the impact

of the Black Death??

The Mortality

Rate33% - 50% of

European population died

25,000,000 dead !!!

Collapse of feudalism and manoralism as labor force declined.

Urban economies suffered as demand for consumer goods decreased.

Peasants revolts Best of the clergy died Persecution of Jews Literature and art was

pessimistic and focused on death

Economic and Social Effects

Results of the PlagueResults of the PlaguePograms against the

Jews

“Jew” hat

“Golden Circle” obligatory badge

Medieval Art & the Medieval Art & the PlaguePlague

An obsession with death.

The The Danse Danse MacabreMacabre

Medieval Art & the Medieval Art & the PlaguePlague

Death Triumphant !:Death Triumphant !:A Major Artistic A Major Artistic

ThemeTheme

Medieval Art & the Medieval Art & the PlaguePlague

Bring out your dead!