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. This may have contributed to the rise of capitalism. LinkedIn. At the heart of the problems confronting Elizabethan England was the challenge of feeding its soaring population. Unequivocal evidence for its early existence comes from the discovery of genomic traces of Y. pestis . Bloodletting and purgatives to help balance the humors were also favored tactics for Elizabethan doctors in the fight against the plague. A few ramifications were self-evident, such as trade, others were concealed within the fear that the population had lost so much already, they could no longer afford to lose anything else, whether that be dignity or pride. The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign (1558-1603). In times of plague, large public gatherings and outdoor markets were closed down by order or the queen. The Black Death was not the only pandemic going around Europe, other diseases include syphilis and gonorrhea. BY Brita Voris. 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 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. A group transporting the spoils of a Spanish carrack from Dartmouth couldn't get further than Greenwich due to the . Thus far we have examined only the large-scale responses to plague, but individual Elizabethans also took steps to protect themselves. It was almost uncontrollable as technological development and advancement in the arena of medicine was really less then. The people who were uninfected would rarely leave their homes isolating the sick ones in separated places. Early treatment is still key, however, so anyone experiencing fever and tumors must seek medical treatment immediately. However, Elizabeth had many favourites and close friends who were men, including Robert Dudley, Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, and Robert Devereux, as well as many prominent suitors, including many . The Plague went by many names, but they all added up to the same thing: the deaths of almost 200 million people across Europe and Asia. And there would have been the constant fear of contacting the Black Death (Bubonic Plague ) or seeing friends and family dying from the deadly disease. The rats then spread it to fleas that lived on their . Friar Laurence in "Romeo and Juliet" has asked a fellow friar to deliver a crucial message to the exiled. The Black Death famously devastated England, as it did much of Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, in the mid-fourteenth century. The killer disease also causes red and black spots on the human skin. 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. 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. . Black rats were the most common at this time, and carried the bacteria called Yersinia pestis, which caused the plague. The reality, as it usually is, was somewhat messier. They had to pay for rents and taxes. Many serfs moved to cities and contributed to the rise in urbanization and industrialization. Elizabethan Pesthouses were established, a few miles away from the infected areas, where the victims would be sent. As per their analysis, Giant Gerbils (rodents) and their explosive population in Asia along with plague bacteria-infected fleas was the primary source of the airborne disease. In the Elizabethan time, London became the center for all arts. The people of both religions had similar beliefs, but reacted differently. Once afflicted households could end their quarantine, all clothes and bedding were to be burned. A time of persecution and suffering, many had to endure the effects that the Black Plague brought with it. Want to Read. Do you want to advertise on Facty.com?Lets talk aboutthis! As a response to the plague that took place. Bloodletting, or cutting open the vein nearest the infected part of the body, was commonly thought to be one of the best ways to treat the illness. Merchant ships and rodents were the two main ways this disease spread and infected humans (The Black Death 1348). Elizabethan Medicine was extremely basic in an era when terrible illnesses such as the Bubonic Plague (Black Death ) were killing nearly one third of the population. In Europe there were many responses to the plague which included helping to stop and cure the plague, profiting off it, and trying to protect and care for their loved ones. Cats and dogs were killed, as it was believed that they might spread the plague. 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. History of Britain from Roman times to Restoration era. There would have been no money coming into Theater companies and therefore no money for the Elizabethan actors. The Bubonic plague (Black Death) was always caught or spread from an infected animal or person. Inadequate hygiene standards added to the problem and spread of the disease. Plague is an extremely infectious and vile disease caused by a bacteria known as Yersinia Pestis. It is estimated that 40,000 dogs and 200,000 cats were killed. Serfs were no longer tied to their previous plot of land. Soon, black spots began appearing in the skin and huge boils started developing in the groins or armpits. Plague is the obvious example but it is by no means the only one. The medieval medicines, herbs, and potions were useless against the dark power of bubonic plague. In this way, Elizabeths government could monitor and address major plague outbreaks with relative detail and accuracy. However, criminal activity by nobles, persecution by lords, war, and disease eventually caused oppressed peasants to revolt. 1592. (Cultural) Medieval society did not know what caused the plague or how it spread. Its populace of roughly 100,000 people included royalty, nobility, merchants, artisans, laborers, actors, beggars, thieves, and spies, as well as refugees from political and religious persecution on the continent. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In the Elizabethan era therewas pestilence and repeated outbreaks of the Bubonic plague (Black Death) and these were not just confined to highly populated towns such as London. During the mid-fourteenth century, a plague hit Europe. The Black Death is widely believed to have been the result of plague, caused by infection with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The terrible outbreak of the Black Death made Medieval people look for a link between health and hygiene. 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 plague was a disease that spread throughout Europe. In the same year, in the month of August, the plague had entered England and the English named it as The Black Death. If one contracted the infection from a flea bite, it took two to six days to incubate and for symptoms to begin. Many peasants died from the disease, probably from their poor diets and lack of nourishment. The Black Death is the 19th-century CE term for the plague epidemic that ravaged Europe between 1347-1352 CE, killing an estimated 30 million people there and many more worldwide as it reached pandemic proportions. In the modern world, however, the barely changed virus only kills 2 to 3 percent of infected victims, even when modern medicine is not accessible. For another, the instructions for the penitential fasting specified that only those between the ages of sixteen and sixty need fast, allowing children and the elderly to keep their strength, and exempted those already ill, a tacit recognition that skipping meals would only make the disease worse. The main culprit of the spread was the poor hygiene, however, the real species that are the cause of this potential wipeout, are the rats and other infected rodents that resided in the area. The black plague or the bubonic death is a word we all are quite acquainted with as this quite clearly indicates death, epidemic, something horrifying and something that mirrors ominous facets. The Black Death was the deadliest epidemic of bubonic plague in history, wiping out some 25 million Europeans alone in just a few years. But the spread of the disease still continued Information about the Medical Profession during the Elizabethan eraThe Elizabethan churches administered to the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) victims but very little other help was given and food was rarely distributed. Rodents, fleas and plague-infected people showed up in the major. Popular medieval scholar Petrarch lost his lady love Laura to Black Death. However, this loathsome disease resurfaced many times throughout centuries killing almost 100 million people in the world by the end of the 18th century. The plague, named the Black Death by later historians, had a devastating effect on the European population in the fourteenth century. It is both fascinating and grotesque, so it is no wonder people are still intrigued by it today. This is one of the most dangerous bacteria for humans to contract, as it can survive attacks by the immune system and white blood cells. A frightening and swift end to life. Plague is an extremely infectious and vile disease caused by a bacteria known as Yersinia Pestis. These "death ships" carried the plague that traveled across Europe, eventually reaching Great Britain. Blood and greenish pus seeped out of them. No effective remedy was found and hence, people did not at all receive any function able treatment. The Great Mortality. Since many people died, there became a shortage in the labour. In fact, it was not even the first. By the end of the fourteenth century, the Black Death killed nearly 60% of Europes population. One of the reasons the Plague was so deadly is that it had such a short incubation period -- and was extremely contagious. Soon after China, the outbreak of bubonic plague spread all over Europe and Western parts of Asia. People did wash, bath and clean their teeth. Rate this book. Shakespeare's London was home to a cross-section of early modern English culture. This infuriated the peasants and led to the Peasants Revolt in 1381. They had victims drink vinegar and crushed minerals, or even arsenic. As a response to the plague that took place, The Black Death was one of, if not the most devastating pandemics to sweep the earth since. However, personal hygiene was better than the perception of Middle Ages Hygiene. Elizabeth had many lovers - MYTH. 1547 Repeal of 1542 Witchcraft during the reign of King Edward VI, the son of Henry VIII, who was more liberal in his thinking about witches and witchcraft. They were overcome with fever and delirious from pain. Other wild theories included divine punishment of the Europeans for their sins, and that the Jewish population was poisoning the water. Around 25 million hoi polloi lost their lives between the years, 1347 and 1352.Black Plague. It only took about twenty-three days from the point of infection for the plague to be fatal (Benedictow). A famine broke out, and it is now known as the famine before the plague. Shakespeare lived from 1567 to 1616. In addition to this, lords advised peasants to leave their homelands during the epidemic to come work for them, but also refused to let them return to their original village. The 16th century wasnt one of the brightest for the people of the Elizabethan Era. All of the waste was just dumped into the River Thames. Once humans are infected with bubonic plague, it spreads very quickly infecting other people. The reign of Elizabeth (1558 - 1603) saw England emerge as the leading naval and commercial power of the Western world. A ship came from China that brought rats infested with fleas, carrying the plague to Sicily. Only the friars and the nuns did their duty and cared for the sick. This particular epidemic claimed between a quarter and a third of the total Elizabethan London population. 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 fear that people felt just to survive resulted in some of the darkest times in the history of . This manifested itself particularly in two ways. 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 plague was the most devastating disease in world history. The reactions from the Christians and the Muslims to the greatly feared disease, known as the Black Death or the Great Plague were different in several ways. Black Death in England - 1348-1350 The Black Death reached England in 1348. Elizabethan farmers and retailers of farm produce, such as animal hides, were in constant danger of contracting the Bubonic plague (Black Death) and this was a deadly consequence of their job. Workers were in high demand and the peasants knew it. Many people aboard the ship were already dead from the disease and the ship was ordered to leave the harbor, but it was too late. Even the animals could not escape its deathly hold. At this time of desesperation and agony in most homes religion such as Islam and Christianity became the most powerful force in the lives of people. People formed communities, isolated from each other. This is essentially a climbing animal which lives in walls and roofs, always in close contact with man. A devastating outbreak of the Elizabethan plague occurred in 1563 claiming 80,000 people in England. In later years, doctors found a bit of success by bursting the buboes, although this could also lead to secondary infection. Why did the Black Death kill so many people in the 14th century? Doctors at the time were extremely busy, and -- unfortunately -- completely ill-equipped to deal with the Plague. The condition was worse among the middle class people as they were the ones who were labourers or merchants. Thousands of dead bodies lay waste as no one was there to offer them a proper Christian burial. 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