The Effects of Plague and Disease in Europe

The 14th Century in Europe was the beginning of a period referred to as the “Little Ice Age.” It all started in 1303 with the Baltic Sea freezing over, and again in 1306. The winters began in earlier Fall and stretched all the way into the summer months. Massive rains ruined crops and entire villages were entirely destroyed by floods. Crops failed year after year due to the dramatic climate change. These conditions set the table for one of the deadliest periods in all of history. Europe was economically, socially, and psychologically changed for the next few centuries, starting with the turn of the 14th Century.

The population was growing exponential in Europe for hundreds of years before the Little Ice Age occurred. Crops failing with this ever growing population were extremely dreadful for the people of Europe. There was not enough food to go around which resulted in severe famine all throughout Europe. People were forced to eat unthinkable items such as “cats, rats, animal dung, [and even] their own children.” Prices of the food that was available were significantly increased because of decrease in supply which caused financial troubles for the people.

In the spring of 1348, the Black Death had arrived in Europe. The disease was first brought to Sicily by Genoese sailors that had become infected while trading in the East. While trading in the East, the Genoese sailors had black rats that inhabited their ships. The black rats caught the deadly disease in the East and brought it back on the ships with the sailors. On the trip back home these sailors were then infected by the rats, bringing the disease back to Europe. It quickly spread throughout Europe, moving north through Italy. Then it traveled into France, England, Switzerland, Hungary, and eventually spread all throughout Europe and reached Russia.

The plague infected and destroyed all living creatures in its war path through all of Europe. There are many reasons why the plague spread so quickly with such devastating force. The main reason is because the entire population of Europe is already weakened by the severe famine. People are already ill and suffering from starvation. The recent boom in population before the famine and Black Death resulted in extreme overcrowding