Black Death

Why in news?

• In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers have claimed that Black Death originated in modern-day northern Kyrgyzstan around 1338-1339 – nearly 7-8 years before it ravaged large parts of the world.
• If this study is correct, it would mean that the Black Death spread through trading routes and not, as some historians have argued, through warfare a century prior.

About Black Death:

• The term Black Death refers to the bubonic plague that spread across Western Asia, Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe in 1346-53.
• Black Death was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and was spread by fleas that were carried by rodent hosts.
• Norwegian historian Ole J Benedictow, who wrote extensively on the disease, estimated that around 60-65% of Europe’s population or 52 million people died due to the plague.
• It is commonly believed that the term Black Death gets its name from the black marks that appeared on some of the plague victims’ bodies.
• In the 14th century, the epidemic was referred to as the ‘great pestilence’ or ‘great death’, due to the demographic havoc that it caused.
• The world black also carried a dark, gloomy emotional tone, due to the sheer amount of deaths generated by the plague.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

In the context of medieval history, consider the following statements regarding ‘Black Death’:

1. Black Death is widely believed to have been the result of plague.

2. It was spread across Western Asia, Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer