Post on 14-Jan-2016
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!