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This encyclopedia provides 300 interdisciplinary, cross-referenced entries that document the effect of the plague on Western society across the four centuries of the second plague pandemic, balancing medical history and technical matters with historical, cultural, social, and political factors.

Table of Contents

List of Entries by Broad Topic Introduction Timeline Abandonment AIDS and Plague al-Asqalani, Ibn Hajar (1372–1449) Alchemy Allah Almanacs al-Manbiji, Muhammad (d. 1383) al-Maqrizi, Muhammad (al-Makrizi; 1363/4–1442) Amulets, Talismans, and Magic Anatomy and Dissection Animals Anticlericalism Anti–Semitism and Anti–Jewish Violence before the Black Death Apocalypse and Apocalypticism Apothecaries Arabic-Persian Medicine and Practitioners Armenian Bole Armies Arrows Ars moriendi (The Art of Dying) Art, Effects of Plague on Articella Astrology Athens, Plague of Avicenna (Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abd Allah ibn Sina; 980–1037) Barcelona, Spain Bells Bertrand, Jean-Baptiste (1670–1752) Bezoar Stones Bible Biblical Plagues Bills of Health Bills of Mortality Bimaristans (also Maristans) Bishops and Popes Black Death (1347–1352) Black Death: Debate over the Medical Nature of Black Death: Origins and Early Spread Black Death, Plague, and Pestilence(Terms) Bleeding/Phlebotomy Boccaccio, Giovanni (1313–1375) Books of Hours Borromeo, Federigo (1564–1631) Borromeo, St. Charles (SanCarlo; 1538–1484) Boyle, Robert (1627–1691) Broadsheets, Broadsides, and Pamphlets Bubonic Plague Bubonic Plague in North America Bullein, William (d. 1576) Caffa (Kaffa, Feodosiya), Ukraine Cairo, Egypt Canutus (Kanutus) Plague Tract Causes of Plague: Historical Theories Cellites and Alexians Charlatans and Quacks Chaucer, Geoffrey (c. 1340/43–1400) Chauliac, Guy de (Guido de Cauliaco; c. 1300–1367) Children China Chinese Traditional Medicine Christ Chronicles and Annals Churches, Plague Ciompi Revolt Clement VI, Pope (1291/92–1352; r. 1342–1352) Clothing Compendium of Paris Confraternities Consilia and Plague Tracts Constantinople/Istanbul Contagion Theory Cordons Sanitaires Corpse Carriers Corpses Couvin, Simon de (Symon de Covino; c. 1320–1367) Crime and Punishment Dancing Mania Danse Macabre Death, Depictions of Defoe, Daniel (1660–1731) Dekker, Thomas (1570?–1632) De Mertens, Charles (1737–1788) Demographic and Economic Effects of Plague: The Islamic World Demographic Effects of Plague: Europe 1347–1400 Demographic Effects of Plague: Europe 1400–1500 Demographic Effects of Plague: Europe 1500–1722 Demography Demons, Satan, and the Devil Diagnosing Plague Dietary Regimens Diseases, Opportunistic and Subsidiary Disinfection and Fumigation DNA and the Second Plague Pandemic Donne, John (1572–1631) Doors Dublin, Ireland Earthquakes Economic Effects of Plague in Europe Empirics End of Second Plague Pandemic: Theories Epidemic and Pandemic Ex voto Expulsion of Victims Eyam, England (1666) Famine Fernel, Jean (c. 1497–1558) Feudalism and Manorialism Ficino, Marsiglio (1433–1499) Flagellants Fleas Flight Florence, Italy Fracastoro, Girolamo (1478–1553) Friars (Mendicants) Funerals, Catholic Funerals, Muslim Funerals, Protestant Galen and Galenism (129CE–c.216) Gentile da Foligno (c. 1275–1348) Germ Theory God the Father Gold Governments, Civil Graunt, John (1620–1674) Gravediggers Gregory the Great, Pope (r.590–604) Grindal, Edmund (1519–1583) Guilds Health Boards, Magistracies, and Commissions Heaven and Hell Henry VIII, King of England (1491–1547; r. 1509–1547) Hippocrates (c. 460–c. 360 bce) and the Hippocratic Corpus Hodges, Nathaniel (1629–1688) Hospitals Humoral Theory Hundred Years War (1337–1453) I promessi sposi (1827) Ibn al-Khatib, Lisad-ad Din (1313–1374) Ibn Battuta, Abu Abdullah (1304–1368) Ibn Khatimah, Abu Jafar Ahmed (1323?–1369) Individualism and Individual Liberties Ingrassia, Giovanni Filippo (Gianfilippo; 1510–1580) Islam and Medicine Islamic Civil Responses Islamic Religious Responses Islip, Simon (d. 1366) Issyk Kul, Kyrgystan Jacquerie James I and VI Stuart, King (1566–1625) Jewish Treasure Hoards Jews Jinn Job John of Burgundy (c. 1338–1390; also Johannes de Burgundia, Burdeus, La Barba, Burgoyne) Jonson, Ben (1572–1637) Justinian, Plague of (First PlaguePandemic) Kircher, Athanasius (1602–1680) Kitasato, Shibasaburo (1852–1931) Koch, Robert (1843–1910) Labourers, Ordinance and Statute of Langland, William (c.1325–after 1388) Languages: Vernacular and Latin Lazarettos and Pest Houses Lazarus Leechbooks Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) and Leprosarium Li Muisis, Gilles (Le Muisit; 1271/72–1353) Little Ice Age Lollards London, England London, Great Plague of (1665–1666) London's East Smithfield Plague Cemetery Luther, Martin (1483–1546) Lydgate, John (c. 1370–1450) Malthusianism Marseille, France Mass Graves and Plague Cemeteries Mead, Richard (1673–1754) Mecca Medical Education (1300–1500, Medieval Europe) Medical Education (1500–1700, Early Modern Europe) Medical Humanism Merchants Mercuriale, Girolamo (1530–1606) Metaphors for Plague Miasma Theory Milan, Italy Mongols Monks, Nuns, and Monasteries Moral Legislation Morality Literature, Christian Morbidity, Mortality, and Virulence Moscow, Russia Muhammad the Prophet (570–632) Naples, Italy Narwhal/Unicorn Horn Powder Nashe, Thomas (1567–1601) Nobility Notaries Nurses Paracelsus (1493–1541) and Paracelsianism Parets, Miquel (1610–1661) Paris, France Parish Pasteur, Louis (1822–1895) Pastors, Preachers, and Ministers Peasants Peasants' Revolt, English Pepys, Samuel (1633–1703) Petrarch, Francesco (1304–1374) Physicians Physicians, Court Physicians, Town Pilgrims and Pilgrimage Plague in Europe, 1360–1500 Plague in Europe, 1500–1725 Plague Memorials Plague Orders and National Authorities Plague Saints Plague Stone "Plagues" in the West, 900–1345 Pneumonic Plague Poetry, European Poetry, Islamic Poisoning and Plague Spreading Poverty and Plague Prayer and Fasting Priests Printing Prisoners Processions Prophylaxes Prostitutes Public Health Public Sanitation Purgatives Purgatory Quarantine Rats and Other Plague Carriers Reformation and Protestantism Remedies, External Remedies, Internal Repopulation Rome, Italy St. Januarius (San Gennaro; d.c.305) St. Michael the Archangel St. Nicholas of Tolentino (1245–1305) St. Roche St. Rosalia St. Sebastian Scientific Revolution Searchers Second Plague Pandemic (1340s–1840s) Septicemic Plague Servants, Household Shakespeare, William (1564–1616) Shutting In Signs of Plague Simond, Paul-Louis (1858–1947) Sin Social Construction of Disease Sumptuary Laws Surgeons/Barbers Sydenham, Thomas (1625–1689) Syrups and Electuaries Ta'un Taxes and Public Finance Tears against the Plague Theriac and Mithridatum Third Plague Pandemic Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) "Three Living Meet Three Dead" Toads Tobacco Transi Tombs Triumph of Death Tumbrels Urine and Uroscopy Valesco de Tarenta (d.after1426) Van Diemerbroeck, Isbrand (Ysbrand, IJsbrand; 1609–1674) Van Helmont, Joan Baptista (Johannes; Jan; 1579–1644) Venice, Italy Vesalius, Andreas (1514–1564) Vienna, Austria Vinario, Raimondo Chalmel de (Magister Raimundus; Chalmelli; Chalin; d. after 1382) Virgin Mary Virgin Soil Disease Wands Wills and Testaments Witches and Witchcraft Wither, George (1588–1667) Women Medical Practitioners Yeoman Farmers and Gentry Yersin, Alexandre (1863–1943) Yersinia pestis Zodiac Man Glossary Bibliography Index

About the Author

Joseph P. Byrne is a historian and professor of honors humanities at Belmont University, Nashville, TN, USA.

Reviews

Joseph Byrne, a medievalist well versed in myriad aspects of the period, displays his command of the era by examining aspects of bubonic plague. His skill at humanistic analysis reaches a height in such topics as virgin soil disease, medical education, remedies, and repopulation. . . . Overall, the comprehensive A to Z entries, timeline, maps and illustrations, bibliography, glossary, and detailed index provide high school, public, and college and university libraries with a valuable tool for understanding one of Earth's most terrifying catastrophes.
*ARBA*

I found this a very interesting reference work which examines the profound effect the epidemic had on the social and political landscape in European and Islamic countries as well as changes in medicine, medical studies and government-controlled public health policies. . . . Overall, this is a work which I think expands knowledge of the plague, not just during the period of the official Black Death, but also by providing the context of all three pandemics, how each one relates to the other, and how society, biomedicine, public health and politics respond to these crises, and developed as a result. This book would be an excellent addition to academic e-collections, of particular interest to humanities students of all disciplines, and historians. Scientists studying the history of medicine and biomedicine may also find this useful.
*Reference Reviews*

This is a terrific subject encyclopedia. . . . This will be a very useful acquisition for academic libraries in particular, especially those at institutions with programs in medieval history, history of science, and the humanities. Highly recommended.
*Choice*

The work begins with a helpful list of entries by topic (among them, 'Arts and Literature,' 'Biomedical Causes and Issues,' and 'Religion') and a time line. Entries are short, running one to two pages, and cover the typical (Alchemy, Animals, Fleas, Mass graves and plague cemeteries) and the unexpected ( Abandonment, Purgatory, Sumptuary laws) as well as many of the notable people of the times. The writing is clear and straightforward. All entries conclude with a list of references, and see also references are included, where helpful. A glossary, an extensive bibliography, and a general index round out the work. This single-volume resource will serve as a good starting point for research on the Black Death.
*Booklist*