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When Did the Black Plague Reach Europe?

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Quick Answer

The Black Death arrived in Europe in October 1347 when infected merchant ships docked at the Sicilian port of Messina.

The Full Story

In October 1347, 12 Genoese trading ships arriving from the Black Sea port of Caffa (now Feodosia in Crimea) docked at Messina, Sicily. Most sailors aboard were dead or dying, covered in mysterious black boils that oozed blood and pus — the bubonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and transmitted by fleas on rats. The disease swept through Europe with terrifying speed. By 1353, it had killed an estimated 25 to 50 million people — roughly one-third to one-half of Europe entire population. The social, economic, and religious upheaval that followed reshaped European civilization.

Key Facts

1.The plague bacterium Yersinia pestis was not identified until 1894 by Alexandre Yersin.
2.Some historians estimate the global death toll at 75 to 200 million people.
3.England population did not recover to its pre-plague level until the 16th century, about 200 years later.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The Black Death Arrives in Europe — October 1347"