The Black Death, 1348: Case Study (Edexcel GCSE History)

The Black Death - Timeline & Summary

Epidemics of disease were not uncommon in Medieval England. People’s poor hygiene and scientific ignorance meant epidemics destroyed communities. The Black Death was deadly. Historians estimate that half of the population of Europe died of plague by 1351. These figures were despite people following the advice of the Church and physicians.

Today, we understand that fleas on rats spread the plague. Medieval priests and physicians did not understand what caused the Black Death. They advised both supernatural and natural treatments. In addition, the government did not believe it was their responsibility to help their own people

Public attitudes slowly began to change after the Black Death subsided in the 1350s. The Church’s power began to decrease. As a result, opportunities emerged to explore alternative explanations to causes of disease. When widespread plague hit again in 1665, the government increased their involvement to slow the spread of the disease.

What was the Black Death?

• The Black Death was a new plague that originated in the Far East

  • It came to Europe via Sicily in 1347

• The name bubonic plague comes from the main symptom of buboes 

  • Buboes were pus-filled swellings which developed in the hot areas of the body such as the armpits

• At the peak of the epidemic roughly 200 people in London were buried every day

Ideas about Causes of the Black Death

Supernatural Causes

• Many people believed the Black Death was a sign of God abandoning humans due to their sins

• Christians believe in the idea of a Judgement Day

  • This is when Jesus would destroy heaven and Earth. He would then raise the dead and judge how morally good the humans had been 

• From a Medieval perspective, it is clear to see how the Black Death could be seen as Judgement Day 

  • People had no scientific knowledge of the actual cause

• In 1345, there was an unusual positioning of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn which people believed was a sign of bad things to come

• In Europe, many people believed that Jewish people caused the Black Death

  • In England, the Jewish population had been exiled in the 13th century

  • The Jewish population could not be blamed for the Black Death in England

Natural Causes

• People believed that breathing in impure air corrupted the body’s humours

• The miasma was thought to originate from the fumes of volcanoes and earthquakes located in other countries

• This bad air also came from rubbish on the streets, swamps and dead bodies

What were the Symptoms of the Black Death?

• Usually, it took three to five days for victims to die

  • The Black Death affected a patient's lungs meaning that they struggled to breathe

    • Some patients suffocated on their own blood

• Treatments from apothecaries or physicians could also result in death

Treatments of the Black Death

Supernatural Treatments

• People believed that God sent the Black Death as a punishment. The Church advised that everyone should:

  • Confess their sins

  • Pray for forgiveness

• Ordinary people felt helpless to treat their symptoms

  • They believed it was God’s judgement about whether they lived or died

  • They were too scared to challenge this by seeking treatment

Natural Treatments

• Physicians tried bleeding and purging but this did not work

  • Often victims died quicker

• Strong-smelling herbs like aloe were recommended to clean the bad air as well as burning a fire and boiling vinegar

• As theriaca worked on multiple illnesses, it was often prescribed for the Black Death

• Some physicians lanced buboes

  • This was much more effective than other methods because it removed the infection and encouraged healing

• Apothecaries sold herbal remedies but most did not work

Preventing the Black Death

Supernatural Prevention

• Priests advised that people should:

  • Pray to God

  • Fast

  • Go on a pilgrimage

  • Self-flagellate (whipping yourself) to show God how sorry they were

    • People that did this are called flagellants

Natural Prevention

• Many people tried natural prevention to try and avoid catching the Black Death

• National prevention included:

  • Moving to cleaner air in the countryside to avoid miasma

  • Carrying flowers or herbs and holding them under their noses to ward off miasma

  • Avoiding bathing

    • It was believed that water could open the pores, allowing the bad air into the body

  • Joyful things like listening to cheerful music

Government Action

• New quarantine laws were introduced to prevent people from moving too much

  • People new to the area had to stay away for 40 days

  • Gloucester attempted to close their town off but people ignored this

• Local governments stopped cleaning the streets

  • They believed that the bad smell would drive away the miasma causing the plague

• The Government considered banning preaching and religious ceremonies to stop the spread of the plague

  • The Church’s power was too immense to allow this to happen

• The rich and the clergy continued as normal

• They were more powerful than the local governments and could ignore their rules

  • King Edward III, the monarch at the time of the Black Death, did not enforce any laws to protect his citizens