Venice’s uprising: wine bans and riotous italians expose pandemic echoes
Venice erupted in chaos this week as authorities desperately attempted to enforce social distancing, resulting in violent clashes and exposing the fragility of even the most stringent regulations.
A flood of resistance: bars shut down, wine flows illegally
The Venetian government swiftly clamped down, banning all bar operations and effectively outlawing the sale of wine by the traditional merchant boats that navigate the city’s canals. The response? Immediate and furious. Reports indicate widespread brawls broke out amongst thirsty locals, a collective refusal to surrender their evening rituals to the dictates of public health.
Bristol’s border: a quarantine crumbles
Just 40 miles away in Gloucester, a similar attempt at lockdown – a ban on travel to and from Bristol – proved equally futile. The edict, seemingly designed to contain the spread, was immediately overwhelmed by a tide of determined residents simply seeking a change of scenery, or, reportedly, a much-needed eye exam. The details of this defiance remain frustratingly murky – the reasons behind the escapades are, alas, lost to the annals of a hastily abandoned effort.
Ppe surge: a black death reckoning
Meanwhile, London witnessed a dramatic spike in the demand for personal protective equipment, specifically gloves. This surge mirrors strikingly the events of the 14th-century Black Death, a chilling reminder offered by historian Thomas Asbridge in his recent work, The Black Death: A Global History. Asbridge’s meticulous research reveals that the current crisis echoes historical patterns, but also underscores the remarkable good fortune we’ve experienced – a perspective starkly contrasted by the near-total demographic collapse of centuries past.
A pandemic beyond europe
Asbridge’s narrative transcends the traditional European understanding of the plague. He meticulously details its reach – from Sicily to Egypt, where observers documented “bodies scattered under palm trees and in front of shops,” and Marseille, where “people were coughing up blood.” Evidence suggests the disease traveled far into Africa, impacting nations like Ghana, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, each experiencing sudden population collapses. The scholar Ibn Khaldun, surviving the plague in Tunis, famously argued that “lethal plagues played an essential role in the rise and fall of civilizations,” a viewpoint predating Jared Diamond’s analysis of Guns, Germs, and Steel.
Micro-histories of terror
Asbridge doesn’t simply recount the statistics; he delves into “micro-histories,” focusing on the individual experiences of those caught in the cataclysm. Princess Joan of England, a mere fourteen years old, succumbed to the disease in Bordeaux. Ysabeta Ugolini, an artisan from Bologna, watched helplessly as her entire family – husband, father, mother, brothers, and brother-in-law – perished in a matter of weeks. Contemporary chronicles depict a landscape of profound bafflement, interwoven with sheer horror.
Bureaucratic records and rising fears
Asbridge’s research leverages previously overlooked bureaucratic records, revealing that some regions, like Florence, were surprisingly spared, yet witnessed a significant increase in the drawing up of wills – a clear indicator of escalating mortality rates. In Bologna, the number of wills drafted in 1348 was five times higher than the average for preceding years. The risk to notaries during such times was palpable, yet most persevered, continuing their vital work. Society, remarkably, didn’t unravel entirely; while some families abandoned the sick, the essential functions of governance largely continued.
The shadow of antisemitism
However, the plague wasn't solely a matter of disease. It fueled a virulent wave of antisemitism, culminating in horrific massacres of Jewish communities in Toulon, Strasbourg, and across Provence, Basel, and the Iberian Peninsula. Driven by paranoia and fueled by a desperate need to assign blame, perpetrators systematically destroyed Jewish financial records, erasing their own debts, and subsequently sentencing hundreds to death by burning. Estimates suggest tens of thousands perished – a tragedy that undoubtedly contributed to the subsequent migration of Jews eastward, towards Eastern Europe.
Lingering consequences
The Black Death’s legacy extends far beyond the 14th century. Labour shortages following the pandemic contributed to the decline of feudalism. Recurrent outbreaks likely weakened Constantinople, hastening the fall of the Byzantine Empire, and may even have sown the seeds of the Protestant Reformation by instilling a profound awareness of mortality. Even today, Madagascar experienced outbreaks in 2014 and 2017, claiming nearly 300 lives. The long tail of the Black Death continues to exert its influence.
A final word
As we grapple with the ongoing fallout of Covid-19, Asbridge’s work serves as a chilling reminder: pandemics are not confined to History. The Black Death: A Global History by Thomas Asbridge is published by Allen Lane (£40). Let’s hope we’ve learned enough to face the next global crisis with greater foresight.