The plague

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The plague

Causes

  • Disease carrying fleas (bubonic) Carried by rats along trade routes.
  • Being near the diseased (pneumonic)
  • origins in the far East
  • Believed to be caused by the position of Saturn at the time / Astrology
  • Thought to be a punishment from god.
  • Plague doctors at the time believed it was caused by bad smells

Effects

  • Shrinking population
  • Peasants revolt - Those that were left demanded higher wages
  • Ruralisation- less chance of catching the plague in the country
  • Less faith in the church- up to 50% of priests died from plague in some places. If the plague was a punishment from god then the priests must have sinned. Inexperienced young priests take places of responsibility in the church without full training.

Overall summary

The official cause for the plague was infected fleas spreading disease along trade routes. The superstitious people at the time believed that it was more than this; a punishment or sign from god. It was a direct cause of the peasants revolt and caused mass ruralisation across Europe. It had a large impact for years to come and created much civil unrest.

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