Significance of the Black Death

One of the well known massive disasters that happened in the history of European is the Black Death. This fatal plague led to huge loss of between 17 million and 28 million lives in whole Europe. It took place from 1345 to 1353 and the death arrived by sea during the time when twelve Genoese trading ships had actually docked at the Sicilian port after travelling through the Black Sea. A horrifying surprise befell the individuals who were gathering on the docks when they realized that a great number of sailors had died, and the lucky sailors were extremely ill. In addition, they were covered by mysterious black boils which oozed pus and blood (Cohn, pg 514). This is why they named this kind of illness as theBlack Death. Then what followed were other various symptoms such as vomiting, fever, diarrhea, chills, severe aches and extraordinary pains- and then death.

What is the significance of Black Death to the Italy, Russia and the entire Europe? This gravely illness had great impacts. In fact, the gruesome signs and deadliness, have over time fixed the Black Death in very extraordinary imagination among many people. Over decades scholars has discovered various impacts of the disease on the economy, social and cultural lives of the natives of the affected areas. It is clear that the Black Death is important to the Europeans because it changed their economy to better. This essay analyzes the Black Death and also illustrated the significance of the plague.

The Black Death is very significant to the Europeans in that its timing led a superficial labeling because it was the turning point for many natives of Europe. The plague portrayed an economic history of Europeans changing to almost inevitable because the urban life had reemerged, manufacturing and textile companies as well as better businesses innovated, increased population, long distance trade revived and agricultural farming grew. This is from the fact that the disease had arrived nearly at high middle Ages (c. 1000 to c. 1300).

The impact of the Black Death on trade can be said to be full due though it strengthens the variety of the effect of the plague from industry to industry, merchant to merchant as well as from city to another. It portrays that failure or success was likely to happen after the illness and the game favored, opportunity, adaptability, foresight, nimbleness and creativity. This is proved by the fact that when magna pestilence had already passed, the entire city continued with supply of labor more decimated than in countryside, simply because of the great number of rate of urban death (Gottfried et. al, pg 817). However, the city could attract new labor from country side so as to make sure that they reverse the initial condition. Now in the new era portrayed by Black Death, the business techniques and new valuable judgments are perfected by many in Italy. They found great opportunities within the diversity and actually made use of the chance and became successful. They learn that a successful businessman need to manage and control risks, and make use of the any opportunity that comes on their way.

The Plague of the Black Death has led to great contribution to popular revolution. In fact, it is clear that it led to expansion of the perspectives of the many peasants in Europe. In addition, it also fueled some sense of criticism hence leading to great changes in the society. However, probably in one way or the other, this plague may have undercut the level of devotion. This is because there was a certain myth that preserving manorial economic-social arrangements was very vital to living of everyone in the entire society. That is why we see social revolutionary of preachers such as John Ball of England. However, after the disease, change seemed to become inevitable as well as apparent to everybody (Benedictow, pg 923).

The reconstructuring influenced by Black Death portrays that the chances and possibility of better economies in many parts of Europe such as Italy. The fatal disease had returned to Europe and destroyed individuals but not property. Moreover, there was just a small population left alive which could not actually exploit all the resources in the Europe. The statistics record that the available resources were by then far more substantial by an approximately 1354 than they were in the last one and half decades. From this kind of surrounding, many of those who were lucky enough to survive also benefited greatly from the improved technologies and also new advanced commercial skills which had developed during high Middle Ages. This improved their living standards. In one way or the other, we can conclude that Black Death was just a mere cataclysmic occurrence and also lowering of expenditure was inevitable indeed. But it greatly reduced economic impediments and gave room for new opportunities for many people in Europe- especially the businesspeople (Nohl et. al, pg 1342).

In conclusion, the plague of the Black Death is very important to the history of the Europeans. Despite the very many new ways of understanding its significance and its wonders, the plague shows some effects or impact on the social, economic and political lives of the people in the society. Now that many people did not understand this kind of disease, many though it was a punishment from God for their sins such as heresy, greed, fornication and worldliness, they believed that the only way to overcome God's Wrath was through repentance. Hence the Europeans society learnt the importance of doing the right things.

Work cited

Benedictow, Ole J??rgen.? The Black Death: the complete history. Boydell & Brewer, 2004.

Cohn, Sam.? The Black Death transformed: disease and culture in early Renaissance Europe. Arnold, 2002.

Gottfried, Robert S.? Black death. Simon and Schuster, 2010.

Nohl, Johannes, and Charles Humphrey Clarke. "The Black Death. A Chronicle of the Plague."? The Black Death. A Chronicle of the Plague.? (2000).

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