1. The Crusades and the Black Death

2. The Crusades
The Crusades were an attempt by the European Church to “reclaim the Holy Land”
Jerusalem had been conquered by Arabs around 640 AD
1095 Pope Urban calls for first Crusade

3. Crusades Christian knights captured parts of Palestine/Syria
8 crusades in all from including “Children’s Crusade”
Popes wanted to keep armies out of Europe and increase power

4. Crusades By 1291 Muslims recapture all lands in “Holy Land”
Crusades a failure-BUT- open Europe up to Middle East trading, new knowledge and technologies- Europeans go explore

5. The Plague “Black Death”
BUBONIC - The bacteria from flea bite invades lymph node -causes great swelling. Internal bleeding starts
Blood dries under the skin and turns black , hence the name "Black Death".

6. The Culprits

7. The Plague Enters Europe from Asia spread by rats
Caused 25 million deaths throughout Europe
Superstition/ Fear spread in Europe-Jews blamed

8. The Plague
Plague affected authority of Church-which did not have answers
Feudalism changed-workers so scarce could demand high wages
Population wouldn’t increase until 1400s

9. Lancing a Buboe

10. The Disease Cycle Human is infected!
Flea drinks rat blood that carries the bacteria.
Bacteria
multiply in
flea’s gut.
Human is infected!
Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.
Flea’s gut clogged with bacteria.

11. Medieval Art & the Plague

12. Boccaccio in The Decameron
The victims ate lunch with their friends and dinner with their ancestors.

13. Medieval Art & the Plague
Bring out your dead!

15. Attempts to Stop the Plague
“Leeching”
A Doctor’s Robe

16. The Mortality Rate
35% - 70%
25,000,000 dead !!!