The Great Mortality

The Great Mortality, commonly known as the Black Death, was a devastating pandemic that struck Europe and parts of Asia between 1347 and 1351. Caused by the bacterium *Yersinia pestis*, transmitted through fleas on rats, it led to the deaths of an estimated 25 to 30 million people, roughly one-third of Europe's population at the time. The epidemic had profound social, economic, and cultural impacts, reshaping societies, weakening feudal systems, and influencing art and literature. The Great Mortality remains one of history's deadliest pandemics, highlighting the vulnerability of human populations to infectious diseases.