The plague that killed a third of Europe in the 14th century. Holland and Sandbrook examine how the Black Death transformed feudalism, labor markets, religion, and culture — destruction on a scale that reshaped civilization.
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Highlights
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Catastrophic population loss can paradoxically improve conditions for survivors
The Black Death killed a third of Europe's population. The survivors found their labor suddenly scarce and valuable — wages rose, serfdom weakened, and social mobility increased.
Crisis accelerates changes that were already underway
The Black Death didn't create new social forces — it accelerated existing trends toward urbanization, wage labor, and the weakening of feudal bonds that were already in motion.