The Black Death, which occurred in Europe between 1347 and 1352, was a devastating demographic contraction that drastically changed the demographics of Europe due to its deaths; By killing almost half the people living in Europe at that time, the plague was also a major force that helped create a cultural ‘Renaissance’.‘The plague destroyed the feudal system, and by destroying this system, the surviving workers (the labor force) got higher wages and created a new wealthy class of people (the middle class) who had discretionary surplus capital for the arts and other cultural activities. The plague also changed attitudes toward humanitarianism because established church institutions did not prevent the plague from occurring. As a result, as people began to think differently about life and death, this new way of thinking moved from being concerned about death to being concerned about the human experience, laying a foundation for the economic prosperity and cultural progress that occurred during the Renaissance. Ultimately, the Renaissance transformed the way humanity experienced the despair of death into a time of great creativity and achievement (the Golden Age).
What was the Black Death and how did it lay the foundation for the Renaissance in Europe?
According to the World History Encyclopedia, the Black Death, caused primarily by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, originated in Central Asia and spread to Europe via trade routes in 1347. This bubonic plague epidemic resulted in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people worldwide. Europe estimates that the ‘Great Mortality’ killed about half its population. Following the first impact of a time period of extreme suffering and social upheaval, the second long-term impact, a demographic contraction that was essentially a cruel ‘reset button’, transformed many aspects of Europe, including labour, religion and philosophy.The plague fundamentally destroyed the manorial system, greatly reducing the working population of Europe. The supply of human labor decreased, causing its market value to skyrocket. Research from Brown University indicates that this labor shortage gave serfs the opportunity to negotiate wages and greater social freedom than ever before. This new socio-economic dynamic created a new class of wealthy merchants – such as the Medici family – who had the additional capital necessary to commission many of the greatest works of art of the period.
How the ‘Great Mortality’ broke the Church’s monopoly
Europeans suffered extreme psychological trauma in 14th century Europe, as society’s focus shifted from ‘memento mori’ (remember that you will die) to more emphasis on how to live well before one dies. According to the article published on UEN Digital Press with Pressbooks, medieval medicine and prayer failed to stop the ‘Great Mortality’, as people began to question religious authority throughout Europe. The erosion of Church hegemony (the Church’s absolute control over thought) left a void, which was then occupied by the humanist movement, known for promoting reason, logic, and ancient Greek and Roman knowledge, and served as the philosophical inspiration behind the creation of the arts and sciences during the Renaissance.
Why did surplus wealth fuel a boom in civic architecture?
The plague resulted in the death of many people, causing huge losses to those who would inherit their property. This resulted in a large portion of wealth and property becoming concentrated in fewer hands. The Encyclopedia of World History shows that during this period, large amounts of wealth existed, and this wealth was not saved casually. Instead, it was used to fund public buildings and private art. This concentration of wealth created large amounts of capital, leading directly to the Golden Age of Florence. The rich used art to improve their cities and show their social status.