The spread of bubonic plague was one of the largest epidemics in the history of humankind. The second pandemic of the disease took a significant part of the European population in the 14th century. Various factors contributed to the emergence and spread of the “Black Death.” Determinants include the strengthened connections between people worldwide, the development of big cities, and Europeans weakened by their orders of life, which involved grueling work and a lack of hygiene. One of the most influential factors was trade relations that swept the lands of AfroEurasia. Although long distances hampered communication between different countries and cities, people developed connections, which contributed to the spread of the disease.
The exploration of primary sources and genetic research conducted by modern scientists make it possible to track the path of the bubonic plague spread. Various studies demonstrate that Genoese ships arrived in Europe, in 1347, from the city of Kaffa, the modern territory of Crimea (Namouchi et al., 2018). This port city was important for trade, and people from various parts of the world met there. As demonstrated by the visualized data, the plague appeared in central Asia, the territory of the Mongol Empire, before entering Europe (V1). In this area, fleas living on small rodents were carriers of disease, and high temperatures contributed to their increased number (Sherry, 2019). Active trade on this land became a factor in the spread of the plague, as fleas moved to various places with the traders, their animals, and goods.
Researchers’ works and the merchants’ diaries confirmed the strong ties between various peoples in the 14th century. Monk William of Rubruck, as a researcher and missionary, went to the Mongols of the Golden Horde and wrote a detailed report on their customs and behavior in the mid-13th century. Although his account describes events much earlier than the plague, it demonstrates how strong the ties between the peoples of AfroEurasia were even at that time. His report describes how people of various religions and nationalities could be found at the Mongolian court (Rubruck, 2004/1255). Such circumstances contribute to the transfer of diseases to multiple territories since all these people then went to their homeland or other lands.
Traders passed through the territory of the Mongols, as the Silk Road was there. Pegolotti (2004/1471) described the way from Tana (Azov) to Cathay (China), which merchants pass. He mentioned that on the way, travelers meet many Mongols. Along this path, fleas carrying the plague could fall on camels, or goods, such as furs, sold in Europe. The consequences of close trade ties for the epidemic are significant – infographics demonstrate that in 1348 the number of disease outbreaks reached the highest rate in history – 120 (V1). There was a substantial decline in population numbers, peaking in 1360-1380 (V1). The Black Death, spread through trade relations, had a significant impact on the political, social, and economic life of Europe.
Thus, the plague spread rapidly in Europe under the influence of several factors, and trade relations in AfroEurasia are critical. The disease reached Europe through Genoese ships belonging to merchants. Before that, it originated in central Asia, the territory of the Mongol empire through which the main trade route ran. Primary sources and modern genetic research confirm the close ties between different peoples and the movement of traders. Such circumstances contributed to the spread of the disease in various territories.
References
Namouchi, A., Guellil, M., Kersten, O., Hänsch, S., Ottoni, C., Schmid, B. V., Pacciani, E., Quaglia, L., Vermunt, M., Bauer, E. L., Derrick, M., Jensen, A. Ø., Kacki, S., Cohn Jr., S. K., Stenseth N. C., & Bramanti, B. (2018). Integrative approach using Yersinia pestis genomes to revisit the historical landscape of plague during the Medieval Period.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(50),1-8.
Pegolotti, F. B. (2004). Merchant handbook. (H. Yule & H. Cordier, Trans.). Silk Road Seattle. (Original work published 1471).
Rubruck, W. (2004). Account of the Mongols. (W. W. Rockhill, Trans.). Silk Road Seattle. (Original work published 1255).
Sherry, B. (2019). Trade networks and the Black Death. World History Project.