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Black Death
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Medieval illustration of Brotherhood of the Cross flagellants in robes and pointed hats walking in procession, some carrying a crucifix and banners, during the Black Death.
Know the investigations of researchers using genomic information to reconstruct the cause and transmission routes of the bubonic plague and the Black Death
Microscope image showing clusters of pink-stained Yersinia pestis bacteria, the organism that causes plague, against a pale background. Historical map of Europe showing the spread of the Black Death during the second pandemic from 1347 to 1351. The map uses color-coded regions to indicate the approximate year the plague first reached different areas, with arrows marking the spread along major marine and land routes, and major cities labeled. Areas relatively unaffected are shown in gray. Oriental rat flea An open medieval ledger book with handwritten Italian text on aged pages and a worn red leather cover, attributed to Pepo degli Albizzi of Florence. Black Death
What was the Black Death?
Medieval illustration of two flagellants, bare-chested and wearing skirts with yellow leggings, whipping themselves as part of a religious ritual during the Black Death in Europe. Black Death
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An open medieval ledger book with handwritten Italian text on aged pages and a worn red leather cover, attributed to Pepo degli Albizzi of Florence.
Black Death Timeline
Black Death
Black Death Key Facts
Microscope image showing clusters of pink-stained Yersinia pestis bacteria, the organism that causes plague, against a pale background.
Black Death Causes and Effects
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Medieval illustration of Brotherhood of the Cross flagellants in robes and pointed hats walking in procession, some carrying a crucifix and banners, during the Black Death.
Black Death Flagellants in the Netherlands scourging themselves in atonement, believing that the Black Death is a punishment from God for their sins, 1349.

Black Death

pandemic, medieval Europe [1347–1351]
Also known as: Great Mortality
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•History

Black Death, pandemic that ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1351, taking a proportionately greater toll of life than any other known epidemic or war up to that time. It is estimated that 25 million people died. The Black Death is widely believed to have been the result of plague, caused by infection with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Modern genetic analyses indicate that the strain of Y. pestis introduced during the Black Death is ancestral to...

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