The first outbreak of the plague is reported to have originated from Gobi desert in China. The infection is alleged to have been blow-out by flea-infested rats, and it did not take long for the disease to reach Europe. The disease spread along the trade routes on the north of Messina where a Genoese fleet of ships carrying dead people infected by the plague harboured on its way from the Black sea. The disease spread so fast across the European continent, and within five years; twenty five million people were already dead; one-third of the population in Europe.
The plague is said to have been triggered by a variety of bacteria, so-called Yersinia pestis. The bacteria caused three varieties of plague; bubonic plague caused by infected flea bites which resulted to the development of black boils in the groin, neck and the armpit. Pneumonic plague, which was caused by the bacteria spreading to the lungs, and filling them with frothy and bloody liquid. Septic plague, which was a fatal blood infection. The disease was characterized by fever, chills, diarrhoea, vomiting the black boils are said to be caused by dried blood, as a result, of internal bleeding.
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"The Black Death".
The great pestilence had massive great socio-economic effects. There was a large drop in the populations which left so much land deserted. The Landlords experienced hard times in finding tenants. As a result of the massive decrease in population, there was labour shortage hence a shift from arable farming that is labour intensive to the less labour intensive activities.
It caused a long-term harm to religious institutions. Many people during the outbreak believed that God was punishing humanity because of its sins. Some priests became afraid to administer last rites of burial because of the fear of contaminating the disease. The church, therefore, suffered from the shortage of excellent priests and the standard of theology was lowered.
