Black Death Essay Research Paper There have

Black Death Essay, Research Paper

There have been many diseases reported historically such as small pox, measles and typhoid but none were as horrendous as Black death. In order to understand the devastation of this disease we must the effects it had on the political, economical and social structures of medieval Europe. The Black Death first appeared in Europe in 1347 when a boat filled with dead and dying people docked at Messina harbor, north east of Sicily. This boat come from the Orient and within days of its arrival this death ship had spread its pestilence throughout Messina. Although it is doubtful that Black Death and other epidemics were by themselves responsible for the downfall of European society they were houever , the largest contibuting factor.

During the middle ages peiple lived under the feudal system, thid was a system in which the king owned all the land and parceled out large estates to the noblemen. These lords woukd in turn grant parcels of land to peasants who woukd live on and work the land. These peasants woukd pay tyhe lords a large portion of whatever theyt earned, either in food supplies or money. The lords lives very well at the expence of the poverty stricken serfs. Then the plague struck and no one was immune to this disease. The nobility perished at the same rate as the peasants. What nobility that did not die fled to other areas unaffected by the plague. The vast depopulation of the noble class left manors and duties abondoned and subject to infiltration by the peasant class. This new situation did not sit well wiht noble class that remained and hostilities between the nobility and the peasants were severe. The abandoned Government offices became filled wiht dishonest men many of who had selfish motives. These now officials had intntions of feathering thier own nests rather than in rebuilding the hierarchical governement . The advent and reoccurence of Black Death also allowed for a new and powerful govbenmental body known as the Bourgeois. They consisted of the merchabnt and working class of the towns. While the plague had virtually wiped out the previous government, the Bourgeois was instrumental in establising a harmonious , interdependent and orderly governmental body.

The clergy played a large role in European society. Being well educated and literate they had the role of providing divine grace and bureaucratic services to both the nobility and the peasants. Most Europeans accepted the word of the church without question. When the plague struck it became apparent that the Catholic priests could provide no explanation for the reason God permitted such devastation. The priests were unable to restore the people’s belief in religion because of their actions during the plague. What preists that did not flee to wealthier parishes or unaffected areas began to charge inflated prices for their burial services and blessings. People began to question the church and continued to do so even after the plague had run its course. This caused a rift in the Catholic chuch that resulted in the separation of the chuch into different sects and in the sixteenth century the Protestant churches ere established.

The economical changes in Europe were profound. Prior to the plague European economics was such tat it was caplble of supporting a wast population. The technical and agricultural innovations floursihed in Medieval Europe . An increase in arable land, new corps and power souces such as windmills provided Europe wiht an increase in food supplies and emplyment opportunities. The import and export of agricultural goods flourished. This along with the end of the Hundred Years War between England and France resulted in a population growth. The lords were enjoying tremendous wealth at the expence workers. The depopulation cased by Black Death resulted in food and labor shortages but most imprtantly it meant the end of serdom . Lords were then forced to treat their workers better and increase their wages. The lord took the chance of losing his workers to better employment opportunities eleswhere if he did not increase wages or provide better living conditions . Some landlords attempted to force their workers to remain on the land. This only led to peasant revolts. THese revots were spontaneous ald poorly organized rendering them ineffective and easily dissolved by the military. These revolts forced some landlords to leave thir manors and become absentee landlords. The loss of workers, declines in agriculture products and increae in peasant wages meant the end of grain farming Europe’s main commodity. lLandlords were forced to diversify into animal husbandry and specialized crops were grown for feed. There was a greater demand for meat and byproducts such as wool and hides which contributed to Europe’s new and pricnciple textile industry. Black Death was also the cause of Europe’s change in currency. The loss of population hastened Europe’s transition from the barter system to a system of money payment.

Black Death did have a positive effect on European economics. There was a permanent increase in wages paid to the laborers. For the first time in European history members of the working class could afford to wear fur coats, until then only the nobility had the funds for such extravagance. Although Black Death profoundly affected the political and economical stability of medival Europe the effect it had on the social aspect of society