Week 11: Black Death

Jarrah James, Bella Rogers, Caitlin Graham and Kaitlyn Patterson

The flourishing urban civilisation prior to the Black Death in 1348 was based upon the growing economic prosperity that can be found in Italy, in particular Florence and Venice which would come to be capitals of the Renaissance to come.  However powerful and influential these two cities were, both relied and built their economies on different foundations. Florence built repute through the establishment of an effective banking system that allowed for growth through the merchants and guilds. The close relationship between the leaders of Florence and the papacy meant greater military and political support and also allowed for the newly improved banking system to ‘act as the pope’s fiscal (tax) agent. This action allowed some merchant companies to grow and transform into the banking profession. 

The second economic growth industry in Florence at this time was in wool. Wool in Florence within this period is described as the most luxurious and expensive of commodities. The trade prices on wool allowed for the industry to expand, encompassing a larger amount of the population and lowering unemployment rates, due the arduous production processes. 

Unlike Florence, Venice did not find its economic niche in wool. The Venetian industry was built on trade, which during this period relied heavily upon the construction of ships and administration of fleets.  Through this industry Venice was able to gain independence from the Byzantine Empire by 1000.

The flourishing urban civilisation of the proto-Renaissance era can also be seen through the expansion of population in and around Florence and Venice, through the construction of public spaces and buildings such as churches, guildhalls, government buildings, palaces, hospitals, walls, and roads. These constructions were erected to match the growing prosperity among the merchant classes. In particular, walls highlighted the growing city population as walls were built to replace the pre-existing roman boundaries which had served as security up until this time. 

Florence wall construction c.600-1284

 

Francis or Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) is a perfect example of the blossoming of the Renaissance thought in the ‘cultural explosion’ prior to the Black Death.  He was a noted scholar, as well as poet whose extensive body of work was significant in the development of European literature. What makes Petrarch the ideal Renaissance man is his study of classical antiquity; he reflects on the past to promote social reform for the future. 

Petrarch

 

In the extract letter to Posterity, Petrarch displays a then unique exploration of human thought and mind, in particular an exploration of himself, which was a new approach in the literary world. Petrarch’s letter adopts a humble and self-conscious tone; he is both expressing hopefulness that his legacy will live on through his work, and also modesty, as he recognises that as one man, he is insignificant in the greater scheme of things. This critical self-analysis is only one of his many works, however it shows a new development in expression of thought.  It furthermore provided the intellectuals of later generations with inspiration, for the examination of oneself in order to produce moral judgement became popular amongst scholars. 

Venice was originally under Byzantine rule until it gained independence when the Byzantines lost control of the area in the 9th  century. Venice’s economy was primarily based on mercantile trade, and  the building of ships, to the extent that the state funded the construction of trade convoys, and the most powerful merchants were those involved in the running of the state. In 1279 the Grand Council, made up of the city’s wealthy founding families, voted to close membership, turning the merchant elite into heredity noblemen. While any Venetian was free to make money to the degree that his or her skill allowed, excepting a few select instances, all were barred from taking part in the instrument of government unless born to it. And yet, there was little objection or resistance to this, unlike in Florence...

Florence was run by nine priori, each elected for two-month terms. Six were from the major guilds, and the remaining three were chosen from among the minor guilds. These guilds each dedicated to a given trade,
counted a large portion of the working Florentine population among their members – but not all of them. The Ciompi, labourers and wool-workers of varying skill employed by the wool merchants’ guild, but not actually members, could take no part in civic decision-making. They rose up in rebellion in 1378, compelling the Oligarchs to give them guild and citizen rights. The ciompi priori attempted to affect political change from office, but a few months later the traditional guilds took up arms, and dissolved the new ciompi guilds.
Jurists, or specialists in Roman law, the basis for many law codes throughout Italy, came to prominence in the 11th and 12th centuries, as they helped found the laws of the developing communes. Some individuals, Marsilius of Padua and Bartolus of Sassoferato, also contributed significantly concepts of political theory in the 12th and 13th centuries.

14th century Venice

The Black Death had an enormous impact on medieval society, primarily because of a huge loss of population. Although the number of deaths due to the Black Death is disputed, King estimates is as between one and two thirds of the population throughout Western Europe. This significant loss of life had a profound impact on the economy, as a huge number of labourers had been killed, leaving positions vacant. This saw an increased demand for workers, and a consequential rise in the average wage of the peasants. It also significantly impacted on the feudal system, as lords found themselves without tenants to cultivate their land, and the costs of rent dropped dramatically as a result. As you can imagine, without the workers to tend the land, there was a marked drop in the production of agricultural goods, and the revenue accrued.

The nature of the plague meant society was literally helpless to resist it. Medicine was not of the standard required to combat the plague, and the methods of prevention were often far-fetched and fanciful. Loss of population meant many homes and even cities were abandoned, with the occupants having either fled or perished. Furthermore, because of such exposure to death, society became rather blasé the sight of it. In a first had account written by Agnolo Di Tura, he wrote that: “There were none that wept for any death, for everyone expected to die. And so many died, that everyone thought it to be the end of the world.”

Monks with plague, late 14th century illuminated manuscript

 

Whilst the Black Death has significant social and economic impact, it was not the sole causative factor in the end of the medieval era and the beginning of the renaissance era. As evidenced by Florence and Venice, the social reform of the renaissance was already occurring in a pre-plague Europe. The historian Joseph Byrne sums this concept up nicely when he states; “the Black Death…was much more of a catalyst of change in the West than an instigator of it.”

 A plague doctor. The mask was based on a popular theory of the time that the plague was carried by infected, bad air. This mask apparently filtered the air, thus enabled proximity to the infected. 

Blog question: in your opinion, did the Black Death merely enhance the significant change already occurring in the late medieval era, or did it have its own independent social and economic consequences?