You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
The Black Death arrived in England in 1348 and killed between one-third and one-half of the population within two years. It was the most devastating epidemic in English history and provides a key case study for understanding medieval responses to disease.
The Black Death was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, though medieval people had no understanding of bacteria. The disease took two main forms:
| Form | Symptoms | Mortality Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Bubonic plague | Painful swellings (buboes) in the groin, armpits, and neck; fever; vomiting | Around 60--70% |
| Pneumonic plague | Attacked the lungs; coughing blood; spread through the air | Almost 100% |
The disease was spread by fleas carried on black rats, which arrived on trading ships from Asia. It travelled along trade routes from Central Asia, through the Middle East and Mediterranean, reaching England by June 1348.
Key Term: Buboes --- the large, painful swellings that gave the bubonic plague its name. They could grow to the size of an egg or apple.
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.