At the heart of the problems confronting Elizabethan England was the challenge of feeding its soaring population. Some also suffered "great dolor of head with heaviness,. An Elizabethan London who did not understand how the Bubonic plague (Black Death) was spread Queen Elizabeth - Information about containing the Spread of the Black Death or the Bubonic Plague during the Elizabethan eraThere was nowhere to hide from the disease and no one was safe, not even the monarch. A preservative against the pestilence It affected the armies of both the French and the English. The monstrous disease seemed to spread evenly through the lightest of touches or through clothing. Plague is an extremely infectious and vile disease caused by a bacteria known as Yersinia Pestis. There was no known cure at the time, and the bacteria spread very quickly and would kill an infected person within two days, which led to structural public policies, religious, and medical changes in Europe. Scholars and historians often refer to him being a part of the Elizabethan Era, the period of English history d uring the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, which lasted from 1558 - 1603, and was itself part of the larger Tudor Period. It was one of the worst epidemics in history; the Black Plague hit some villages while skipping over others, but sources report it wiped out a third of Europe's population in a matter of a few years. The period of recurring. Innumerable cows, sheep, pigs, goats, and chickens perished along with people. After 2,000 people died in London in 1528, the Sweat travelled via ship to Hamburg, Germany, where over a thousand deaths occurred in a month. Around 25 million hoi polloi lost their lives between the years, 1347 and 1352.Black Plague. Soon, black spots began appearing in the skin and huge boils started developing in the groins or armpits. If the workers refused to do so or demanded more wages they would be fined and even sent jails. Even the animals could not escape its deathly hold. Yes, this talks about death and epidemics that used to kill hundreds and thousands in the medieval ages that had no specific cure and hence, was really terrifying. The houses would be locked and bolted from the outside. During the 16th century, a young couple in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, lost two of their children to the bubonic plague. In the Elizabethan era the people didnt have the right medicines to be able to cure their illnesses. The Black Death of October 1347 to c1352 was one of the worst catastrophes in recorded history - a deadly bubonic plague that ravaged communities across Europe, changing forever their social and economic fabric. If one contracted the infection from a flea bite, it took two to six days to incubate and for symptoms to begin. The cause of the Bubonic plague (Black Death) was unknown during the Elizabethan era so people were not in the position to take proper care or adequate precautions. There are so many fantastic photographers that visit the shows that we perform at and take absolutely beautiful photographs. The earthquakes did lead to an increase in the number of rats in the area (some texts even describe "seas of rats" swimming through water or running through the streets). This site offers information designed for educational purposes only. But their gruesome job entitled them to receive a good supply of alcohol. The Black Plague is said to have been the worst of the plagues, but it was the second of three large plague pandemics in history. Elizabethan Pesthouses were established, a few miles away from the infected areas, where the victims would be sent. Author bio: Michael Lowry Lamble holds an MA in Medieval and Renaissance History from Loyola University Chicago and is currently pursuing an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. William Shakespeare is recognised as one of the most talented writers in all of English History. The Black Plague, a disease many would agree was both one of the most devastating and poignant events to occur in European History. The Elizabethan Era Facts: Mary, Queen of Scots In 1560, the Scottish Parliament mainly became Protestant. This caused Shakespeare to have a lifelong fear of the disease. Sailors on the ship were infected by this deadly disease, most were extremely ill, while many were already dead. The principal ideas underpinning most Elizabethan medical thinking come from Galen, who lived in the second century A.D. Physicians will cite him as an unquestionable authority when they explain to you that your health depends on a balance of the four humors: yellow bile or choler, black bile, phlegm, and blood. This tragedy started around 1347 1352 A.D, originating from East Asia or China .This disease was brought by the sea from ships, and on the ship was black rats and fleas were carrying it and it was passed down to the rats. The Plague came in three different ways: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. We love featuring the craft that those with a camera are able to produce and if we use one of your photographs please let us know so we can give credit where credit is due. In this way, Elizabeths government could monitor and address major plague outbreaks with relative detail and accuracy. Rodents, fleas and plague-infected people showed up in the major. People all over Europe believed that this black plague was airborne a disease and hence, were leaving their homes to take shelter in rural remote county sides. The first occurred during the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century and killed an estimated 25 million people. While diseases like the common cold have been around for a long time, there are many staple diseases that have shaped the medical field and the foundation for medicine today that need to be known. The trade connections in the past among China, India, central Asia and Europe were the main reason behind spreading of this terrific disease. Information about the Spread of the Elizabethan Black Death or the Bubonic Plague in Elizabethan EnglandThere were repeated outbreaks of the disease during the Elizabethan era and these outbreaks were often transmitted by the fleas that lived on rodents and animals, especially rats. Plague Pits were rapidly dug. Thousands of years ago, a plague invaded the human world. Rate this book. It is widely believed that Bristol was the place where the Black Death first reached England. 20 July 2012. There were Elizabethan surgeons, but these had a similar reputation to the barbers and the usual route that most people took was to visit the apothecary, or dispenser of drugs. Vinegar was widely used as a cleansing agent as it was believed that it would kill disease. Following the death of Elizabeth in 1603 the coronation of James I was delayed due to a plague." << A famine broke out, and it is now known as the famine before the plague. It first showed up in Europe in October 1347. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. A time of persecution and suffering, many had to endure the effects that the Black Plague brought with it. Features of this era include hauntings, witch hangings, coin money, and class distinctions. The Bubonic plague (Black Death) was the greatest fear of people living during the Elizabethan era from the Queen herself to the lowliest of her subjects. 'In this year, 1348, in Melcombe in the county of Dorset, a little . The Black Death & Bubonic Plague in the Elizabethan Era, Symptoms, effects, consequences, cure and medical treatment. Many peasants died from the disease, probably from their poor diets and lack of nourishment. One of the worst outbreaks of smallpox occurred two years before Shakespeare's birth, in 1562. Elizabethan Physicians adopted protective costumes against the disease in the 16th century. Medieval towns had no system of drains, sewers or trash collections. The Black Death The rats were merely carriers for the bacteria that caused the infection; a bacteria in the fleas that were hitching a ride in the rats. Within a few days, the deadly plague spread in Sicily and other parts of Europe. Information regarding the handling of the Bubonic plague (Black Death), symptoms, medical treatment and cure used during the Elizabethan era are fully described below. Click here for more information on Elizabethan England, World and Medieval History of the Black Death and Bubonic Plague - How the disease spread and Nationalities affected, Black Death and Bubonic Plague - Modern day symptoms, cure and medical treatment. Sir William Davenant ( possible an illegitimate son of William Shakespeare ) his associates and his career and life in Elizabethan England. Elizabethan Physicians wore long dark robes with pointed hoods, leather gloves, boots, and the most bizarre masks featuring long beaks which were filled with bergamot oil. Cats and dogs were killed, as it was believed that they might spread the plague. The plague reached Europe through the sea in October 1348. The London streets were dark, narrow and dangerous and slow to travel through. Finally in the 1600's people believed it had disappeared for good. Some elements of quarantine were introduced but usually by the time that this was instigated the deadly disease had already struck. The dead were to be buried in a secluded part of the graveyard at twilight, to minimize the chances of passersby contracting plague from the bodies. The country, before the plague ravaged it, was under the feudal law system. In the orders to pray and fast, the Elizabethan religious authorities included stipulations that indicate an awareness that although plague was undoubtedly the wrath of God, there was nevertheless a physical component to the disease. He began his career as a playwright somewhere between 1585 and 1592. However, the air was not the problem. There were high mortality rates amongst Elizabethan children and this was true of the brothers and sisters of Shakespeare some of whom were struck down by the Bubonic plague (Black Death). The relationship between the landowners and the peasants who worked in those lands suffered a great impact. A group transporting the spoils of a Spanish carrack from Dartmouth couldn't get further than Greenwich due to the . The plague, named the Black Death by later historians, had a devastating effect on the European population in the fourteenth century. Once afflicted households could end their quarantine, all clothes and bedding were to be burned. The Black Death began its long, sweeping journey through Europe in 1348 (some reports say it was actually in October of 1347). The Arrival. Contrary to popular belief it was not just the people who lived in the towns who were at risk of catching the Black Death or Bubonic Plague. The Black Death. Plague is an ancient disease that was described during Classical times as occurring in North Africa and the Middle East. 2. Innumerable cows, sheep, pigs, goats, and chickens perished along with people. First arriving in Europe through sick merchants on Genoese trading ships that docked in Sicily, the plague caused boils, fever, diarrhea, horrible pain, and shortly, death. But how much do you know about the Black Plague? Human beings cruelly abandoned their sick loved ones in a desperate attempt to protect their own-selves against the heinous bubonic plague. Upon receiving the Orders, the justices of the peace of every county were commanded to assemble to determine where infections were already occurring, what sorts of communities these places were, and their wealth. A famine broke out, and it is now known as the famine before the plague. With bubonic being the most common. A contemporary historian reported twenty thousand dying in London in 1562. Early treatment is still key, however, so anyone experiencing fever and tumors must seek medical treatment immediately. The Black Death (Plague of 1348) had a deep and lasting impact on Medieval Europe for a variety of reasons. Information about the Elizabethan Cure for the Black Death or the Bubonic PlagueIn the Elizabethan era various concoctions of herbs were given and used for the medical treatment of different parts of the body and the varying symptoms of the disease. Crime and Punishment in Elizabethan England A contemporary description of crime and punishment in Shakespeare's . A supplemental set of directions for worship in the Church of England was released in 1563, mandating that Wednesdays be dedicated to fasting and prayer in times of plague. The Black Plague was incredibly fatal. Many people at the time believed that the Plague was a result of the release of "bad air" from the ground, due to earthquakes nearby. On 7 September, soldiers marching from England's north to embark on foreign campaigns were rerouted around the city due to concerns about infection, and by the 21st at least 35 parishes were infected with the plague. The Black Plague is said to have been the worst of the plagues, but it was the second of three large plague pandemics in history. The peasants started demanding more wages while the English law tried to keep wages from rising. Information about the Role of the Watchmen and Death Cart LabourersThe Elizabethan Watchmen and the death cart labourers were, not surprisingly, very well paid. A ship came from China that brought rats infested with fleas, carrying the plague to Sicily. The country area and villages were not exempt from the disease either - there was no hiding place. Loss of lives did decrease the population, changed the demographic structure of the region and hence, shortage of labour was seen as the major crisis there. The plague was the most devastating disease in world history. Globe Theatre Fact 1. In this system, the lord owned the land in small communities, and the peasants living there farmed the land and gave him a portion of their crops as a form of payment. Such was the fear of plague that people started abandoning their sick family members and friends. Animals and human beings contract dangerous disease from flea or rodent bites. The illness also produced in the victim an intense desire to sleep, which, if yielded to, quickly proved fatal. All of the waste was just dumped into the River Thames. The fever started spreading soon all over the European nations , especially Italy and England and hence , people started calling this as the black death ; black being the colour of negative vibe and ominous aspects . Statistics show that 1000 people died weekly in mid August, 1600 per week in September, and 1800 per week in October. The impact of closure must have been extremely frightening, not to mention the threat of the Black Death ( Bubonic Plague ) itself. Abandoning the affected ones was the real ecstasy them. The plague caused many to question their religious outlook, the lack of knowledge caused false cures to develop and affected the interactions throughout Europe. No one was sure how the Death spread, and this combined with the fast course the disease took and the primitive medical practices of the time allowed for the disease to spread through the continent in devastating time. The Black Plague was one of the worst diseases to be ever known to the people in the Elizabethan Era. The Black Death began in the Himalayan Mountains of South Asia in the 1200s. They were called buboes. It killed nearly 100,000 people and is said to still infect people today. Also spurting wage demands created an abysmal situation in Europe then. Cats as perfumers Perfumers prepared many aromatics from civet cats. Black rats were the most common at this time, and carried the bacteria called Yersinia pestis, which caused the plague. Symptoms noticed: reddening of skin, skin turning black, high fever, swelling of the lymph glands. During the Renaissance period a disease was brought to Europe that is known as the Black Plague. They were overcome with fever and delirious from pain. It made its way to Europe on trade and cargo ships, traveling on the backs of rats stowed away on the ships. The plague had an enormous social effect, killing much of the population and encouraging new health reforms, it also had religious effects by attracting the attention of the Catholic Church, and lastly, it affected the trade around Europe, limiting the transportation of goods. The disease also spread frighteningly quickly, wiping out entire villages before anyone could do anything to stop it. The bizarre and gruesome Physician masks would have acted as protection against contracting the disease through breathing the same air as the victim. Europe during the fifteen hundreds were a dangerous place; disease, famine, and violence all prevented the population of the era to live a long life. These corpses were left rotting in the houses until they were dragged out, weeks later, to be thrown on a cart and finally disposed of. Nearly half of the people who contracted the infection died from it, resulting in a loss of 25-60 percent of Europe's entire population. If it was spread by bacteria in the air, the incubation period was a mere one to three days. Nevertheless, it is illuminating to see the ways that these people over three hundred years ago grappled with the fear and uncertainty of virulent disease. Modern genetic analyses indicate that the strain of Y. pestis introduced during the Black Death is . Each parish was commanded to appoint searchers to examine the bodies of the dead and determine how many had died of plague. Once humans are infected with bubonic plague, it spreads very quickly infecting other people. Unfortunately, the Revolt did not immediately result in the end of serfdom, but was seen by the Whig historians as the beginning of the end of the feudal system (BBC Staff). The Black Plague can be at fault for this horrific tragedy. In an indirect way, the Black Death led to the abolishment of the feudal system and more freedom for the. BY Brita Voris. Blood and greenish pus seeped out of them. Elizabeth had many lovers - MYTH. The symptoms for this plague were extremely painful and death was the most likely outcome in most cases. The penalties for this were varied and severe. The death cart labourers generally undertook their gruesome work at night and the bodies were hurried out of the house wrapped in any kind of improvised shroud. The Black Death is widely believed to have been the result of plague, caused by infection with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Of those who contracted the bubonic plague, 4 out of 5 died within eight days. That is not to say that the Elizabethans viewed plague as a purely spiritual matter, however, remedied only through spiritual means. The Black Death was the second pandemic of bubonic plague and the most devastating pandemic in world history. The cover-all clothing would have protected the Elizabethan Physician from fleas and therefore the Black Death / Bubonic Plague. Looking at these orders, it is tempting to think of Elizabethan England as a well-oiled machine where public health is concerned. This was not, however, the true beginning of the epidemic. The Elizabethan era, spanning the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, was the golden age of British history. Over the next five years, more than 20 million people died from a disease that almost killed one . What were the effects of the black death? The medieval medicines, herbs, and potions were useless against the dark power of bubonic plague. . The first occurred during the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century and killed an estimated 25 million people. Some historians however claim that the plague wiped out nearly 2/3rd of the entire European population. This kind of bacteria is typically found in rodents such as rats and also in the fleas that feed on the rodents. There were three types of the Plague which included the bubonic, septicaemic and the pneumonic plague. 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