Peste noire

La peste noire est the French term for the Black Death, the major 14th-century pandemic of plague that spread across Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia.

Peste noire is the French term for the Black Death, the major 14th-century pandemic of plague that spread across Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. It is widely regarded as one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, causing massive demographic and social disruption.

Definition

Peste noire is the name used in French for the Black Death, a devastating plague pandemic of the 14th century. It is usually associated with the second pandemic of plague.

Origins and spread

Historical accounts place the pandemic’s origins in Central Asia, with transmission into the Black Sea region and then into Europe through trade routes. It spread across much of Europe between 1347 and 1353.

Impact

The pandemic caused enormous loss of life, with major demographic and economic effects across Europe and beyond. Estimates differ, but it is often described as the most lethal pandemic in recorded history.

Historical interpretation

Sources differ on total death tolls and the precise routes of transmission, but there is broad agreement on the scale of mortality and social disruption. Modern historians continue to study its epidemiology and historical consequences.