1347–1351Reputable sourceWell documented
The Black Death
On the timeline · around 1347–1351 · Plague and Pestilence
What happened
Bubonic plague returned to Europe with catastrophic force, arriving on ships from the Black Sea and sweeping across the continent in just a few years. The Black Death killed an estimated one-third or more of Europe's population — tens of millions of people — in the worst pandemic in recorded history.
Why it matters
The Black Death transformed medieval Europe: labour shortages broke down the feudal order, wages rose, and the trauma reshaped religion, art, and society for generations. Few events have altered the course of history so profoundly.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Black Death · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Middle Ages → — The catastrophe that reshaped medieval Europe