Bring Out Your Dead!The Bubonic Plague

Impact of the Black Death in Europe• Demography:

– 1/3 of the population died (20 million)

– Displacement of the population

• Jews fled to Eastern Europe

• Peasants settled abandoned lands

• Families abandoned

• Cities grew as economic centers

In Europe

• Politically:– Peasant Revolt of

1381 in England (political instability)

– Power of monarchies increased as countries became urbanized: security

– Traditional authority figures challenged

– Scapegoats

Still in Europe

• Economically:– Wages increased for

labor– Wealth distribution

changed– Monarchies increased tax

base & armies– Prices increased &

commercial activity decreased

– Extended work days (clocks)

– Labor shortage: invention of machinery to help

– Peasants & workers became aware of value

And still in Europe• Religiously:

– Papacy became more secular & occupied w/ fiscal gain & universal power

– Disillusionment with church led to:

Disillusionment with Church:

• Increase in religious fervor:– Increase in number of religious

holidays– Increase in religious

pilgrimages– Increase in indulgences by the

Pope• Increase in hedonism:

– People lived for the moment– Turned to drink, sex, and

materialism– Questioning of Church

authority; set stage for Protestant Reformation

Impact of Black Death in the Islamic Middle East

• Inflation:– High cost of medicines &

ingredients:• Incense, cardamom,

camphor, white sugar, watermelons, Syrian pears, molasses, pumpkin seeds

– Cost of silver rose because of use as magic talismans and amulets

– Shortage of funeral cloths and burial shrouds

Still in the Middle East

• Economically:– High cost of labor due to population decline– Doctors, druggists, herb sellers, and blood-

letters became wealthy

Yup…still there

• Society:– Mosques closed due to

deaths of caretakers– Crafts disappeared

because of decreased demand: artists could earn more by transporting the dead

• Number of weavers in Alexandria dropped from 13,000 in 1394 to 800 in 1434

And more Middle East• Governmentally:

– Increased endowments for religions, educational, and charitable purposes

– Government funds increased due to death duties and confiscation of victims’ property

– Technological stagnation

– Decline of Middle East as a trade center

Medical Treatments in Europe• Flight: prefer low sites

away from wind• Pope Clement VI

went to Avignon where he slept between 2 bonfires

• Avoided the coast• Houses built facing

north with windows covered in waxed cloth

• Aromatic items burned to keep away the miasma

• Religious relics/magic amulets/talismans/hex signs

• Sleep first on right and then on left side to keep body steady

• Don’t sleep on back: vapors will get you through your nose and erase your memory

More medical stuff• “Bad cures bad”• Bloodletting• Soothing potions:

apple, syrup, lemon, rosewater, & peppermint

• Emerald, gold, pearls = medicinal

• Eating eggs w/ vinegar

• “Ring Around the Rosie”

Ring around the rosie,

Pocket full of posies,

Achoo! Achoo!

We all fall down!

Medical Treatments in the Middle East• Few people in the

streets• No flight b/c must

preserve society from disruption & disorder

• Clean & fumigate house

• Letter magic• Renewed enforcement

of Muslim laws, esp. against alcohol and moral laxity

• Have patience, piety, & visit the sick

• Curses were discouraged

• Burning fires• Sweet smelling shrubs

planted around the cities

• Avoid congested areas• No sleeping after

eating, avoid missing meals

More Middle Eastern medical treatments• Sleep with room

opened to the north• Bloodletting• Keep morale high w/

joy, serenity, relaxation, hope

• Plague buboes were pierced & soaked w/ vinegar & oil of roses, apples and myrtle

• Dried egg yolk applied to boils

• Items to strengthen the heart: fruit juice, fragrant foods, lentils, meat in vinegar

• Beds covered with flowers

• Plasters on the hearts• Drink sour liquids• Seek pleasant &

attractive company

List the reactions of:• Europe:

– Religion– Superstition– Folk belief &

tradition– Science or

medicine:

• Middle East:– Religion– Superstition– Folk belief &

tradition– Science or

medicine:

Points to ponder:• How might people, while meaning well,

accidentally spread the plague?• Sometimes, during a crisis, things of little

value an suddenly seem precious and vice versa. Do you see any evidence of this in either culture?

• If plague were to strike today, what things do you think would escalate in value today? Any similarities?