In 1347, fleet ships carrying infected fleas arrived in Europe, triggering the deadliest pandemic in recorded history. Over four agonizing years, the Black Death claimed tens of millions of lives, shattering the authority of the medieval Church and driving social structures to absolute collapse. Yet, out of the horrific devastation emerged unexpected structural shifts. As severe labor shortages crippled the feudal system, surviving peasants demanded higher wages and basic freedoms, setting Europe on a trajectory toward modern economic independence and scientific inquiry.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:12 Chapter 1: The Siege of Caffa
05:23 Chapter 2: Ships of Death
08:53 Chapter 3: The Great Dying
13:31 Chapter 4: The Fires of Avignon
18:01 Chapter 5: Madness and Scapegoats
22:07 Chapter 6: The Peasant's Revenge
25:42 Chapter 7: A New World Order
29:08 What happened next
Featuring: Pope Clement VI, Giovanni Boccaccio, Guy de Chauliac, Agnolo di Tura, King Edward III, Gabriele de' Mussi
Dialogue dramatised from history; voices are AI-generated.
Maps: historical-basemaps (A. Ourednik, GPL-3.0), Natural Earth.
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