Half of Europe Gone
Between 1346 and 1353, the Black Death killed up to 50 million people—possibly half of Europe. It was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.Black Death: How One Plague Killed Half of Europe
It Moved Faster Than Fear
The disease was caused by Yersinia pestis and spread by fleas and, in some cases, through the air. Once it reached port cities, it may have spread mainly from person to person as pneumonic plague, helping it race inland faster than rat fleas alone could explain.Black Death: How One Plague Killed Half of Europe
