Why was smallpox especially feared in Europe during the 16th century?

Smallpox was profoundly feared in 16th-century Europe because it had emerged as one of the most dreaded pestilences, effectively succeeding the plague as a primary source of terror. The disease was characterized by its high mortality rate, killing as many as 30 percent of its victims, the majority of whom were children.123

Beyond the high risk of death, the disease was feared for its devastating physical impact on survivors. Those who recovered were often left with permanent, severe disfigurement from cratered pockmarks, and in some instances, the infection resulted in lifelong blindness. During this period, medical understanding of infectious diseases was limited, and there were no effective treatments; physicians often relied on ineffective procedures like bloodletting or induced vomiting, leaving victims with little hope beyond divine intervention. The combination of its high lethality, the visible and lasting trauma it inflicted on survivors, and the lack of medical recourse made it a source of widespread anxiety across European populations.31