In October 1347, twelve Genoese galleys sailed into the Sicilian port of Messina. The sailors aboard were already dying. A local chronicler, Michele da Piazza, wrote that they arrived with 'sickness clinging to their very bones.' Soon, the people of Messina developed strange, dark swellings and died within days. The terrified citizens drove the ships from their harbor, but it was too late. The sickness was already ashore. One Italian writer, Gabriele de’ Mussi, later wrote a dramatic account of how the plague began. He claimed that a Mongol army besieging the port of Caffa had launched infected corpses over the city walls. While a terrifying image, modern historians treat this as an unverified story. The plague had found its way into Europe.
The Black Death
The Black Death reached Europe in 1347, killing a third to a half of the population and remaking the medieval world.
The Ghost Ships of Messina
Frequently Asked Questions
What did people in the 14th century think caused the plague?
In 1348, the Medical Faculty of the University of Paris declared the plague was caused by a 1345 planetary alignment of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. They believed this created a 'miasma,' or corrupted air, which rotted the organs of anyone who breathed it.
What actually caused the Black Death?
The Black Death was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It was primarily spread by infected fleas on black rats, causing bubonic plague. It also had a pneumonic form, which spread directly between people through the air and was almost 100% fatal.
How did the Black Death change European society?
The massive death toll, estimated at one-third to one-half of Europe's population, created a severe labor shortage. This allowed surviving peasants to demand higher wages, weakening the old feudal system and contributing to the gradual end of serfdom.
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