logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2020
16m 15s

The Black Death

History Hit
About this episode
Between 75 million and 200 million people died in the Black Death, or Plague, which caused social, economic and religious upheavals that had a profound effect on the course of European history. How did the Black Death come about? How did if affect particular populations? For how long did it ravage societies? Rob Weinberg asks the big questions about the most devastating pandemic in history to Dr. Eyal Poleg at Queen Mary University of London.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 2020
King David
One of the Old Testament’s most compelling figures, David was anointed as king of a united Israel, conquering Jerusalem and bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the city. First renowned for his musicianship and killing Goliath, David was feted by King Saul who then turned agains ... Show More
25m 37s
Sep 2020
Alfred the Great
Ever since his reign in the 9th century, Alfred the Great has been celebrated as one of the most accomplished of our kings. A learned and religious man who encouraged education, Alfred defended his lands against Viking invaders. But how did Alfred, King of Wessex become Alfred th ... Show More
35m 22s
Sep 2020
The South African Boer War
From 1899 to 1902, a bloody war was fought between the British Empire and two independent Boer states – the Republic of Transvaal and the Orange Free State – over the Empire's influence in South Africa. But how and why did the war come about? How did the Boers achieve initial suc ... Show More
31m 8s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
The Black Death | 1. Introduction
In the late 1340s, people in cities, towns and villages across the medieval world began to fall ill from a mysterious pestilence. This six part series looks at the how the Black Death shook the Middle Ages, killing millions and transforming societies. Speaking to expert historian ... Show More
23m 7s
Jan 2020
Episode #102- What Caused the Black Death? (Part I)
The epidemic known as the Black Death struck Europe in 1347 and completely upended medieval society. It's been estimated that roughly half of the European population was killed by this gruesome disease. Despite huge advances in our understanding of this epidemic debate still rema ... Show More
51m 54s
Jun 2022
The Black Death | 6. how the pandemic transformed societies
In the final episode of our series on the Black Death, Professor Mark Bailey and Dr Claire Kennan discuss the medieval pandemic’s dramatic social, political and economic impact. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, they use England as a case study to explore how it restructured society, ... Show More
45m 37s
May 2023
Did Black Death trigger the rise of Europe?
The Black Death unquestionably wrought a horrific death toll in the mid-14th century, but did it also sweep in social and cultural changes that eventually led to the rise of Europe? Professor James Belich certainly thinks so, and he lays out his argument in new book The World The ... Show More
37m 8s
Mar 2020
Classic Tides: The Black Death Revisited
In light of current events, we are re-posting one of my favorite episodes (from June, 2018) on the Black Death.Between 1346 and 1351, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people - at least half the population - in Europe and the Middle East. This great mortality, one of the ... Show More
52m 36s
Sep 2021
The Black Death
In October 1347, a ghostly fleet of trading ships docks at a port in Sicily. The crew members – dead already, or well on their way – bear bubonic plague. The ‘Great Pestilence’ will ravage the populations of three continents over the next decade. What changes to society will resu ... Show More
52m 22s
Jun 2024
Death and mourning in Britain: everything you wanted to know
Why did people start cremating bodies? When did black become the colour of mourning? And who are the 'invisible dead'? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, historian Douglas Davies answers your top questions about traditions surrounding death and mourning in Britain through the centuri ... Show More
52m 23s
May 2022
The Black Death | 5. death, sin & spirituality
The arrival of a terrifying pandemic made medieval people increasingly preoccupied with death, sin and the afterlife. In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Helen Carr about spiritual responses to the Black Death, from special prayers to self-flagellation. The primary sources ... Show More
37m 37s
Jan 2021
The Black Death: everything you wanted to know
Professor John Hatcher answers listener questions about the medieval pandemic, and reflects on how the Covid-19 crisis might shape our understanding of the plague Professor John Hatcher, author of The Black Death: A Personal History, responds to listener questions and internet se ... Show More
1h 7m