Day 1

Place

Time

Language

Disease

Animal

Keyword

Person

Nature event

River

Plague

Scribe

Social response

Victims

In Day 1, a total of 21 epidemic events are known so far.

Locations and Spreading

	Date	Summary		Source	Translation	T

1323, November 1

Gerward, Bishop of the city of Włocławek in Central Poland, dies in Avignon from a ravaging plague

Quum 1323 redire statuisset, Avinione ex peste moritur ibique sepelitur.

And as he was ordered to return in 1323, he died in Avignon from a pestilence and was buried there. (Translation: Martin Bauch)

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1348, Mai 1 – 1348, September 1

Outbreak of the Black Death in Orvieto with a high number of deaths und many vacant houses.

Nelle calende di Maggio de l'anno mille et trecento quaranta otto, sì cominciò in Orvieto una grande mortalità di gente, et veniva ogni dì cresciendo più, et crebbe fino al mese di [p. 26] giugno et luglio: chè si trovó tal dì, che morirono cinquecento cristiani, tra grandi et piccoli, et maschi et femine. Et era sí grande la mortalità et lo sbigottimento delle genti, che morivano di subito; et la matina erano sani et l'altra matina morti. Et le bottege delli artefici tutte stavano chiuse. Et durò questa mortalità finamente a calenne di septembre; onde molte famiglie e chasate rimasero sderate; et contasi, che delle dieci parti ne morissero le nove parti; et quelle che rimasero, rimasero inferme e sbigottite, et con gran terrore dispartirsene delle case che rimasero delle genti loro morte.

On the first of May in the year one thousand three hundred and forty-eight, a great mortality of people began in Orvieto, and it was increasing every day, and grew until the month of June and July: for on such a day, five hundred Christians died, young and old, male and female. And the mortality and bewilderment of the people was so great that they died immediately; and one morning they were healthy and the next morning they were dead. And the workshops of the artisans were all closed. And this mortality lasted until the September heat of the year; so that many families and houses were destroyed; and it was counted that nine of the ten families died; and those that remained were sick and disconcerted, and with great terror they dispersed from the houses that remained of the people who had died. (Translation: Martin Bauch)

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1348

Emperor Charles IV mentions the plague at the papal court in Avignon in a letter from the 1st of September 1348.

Nos, quia nonnulli ex fratribus nostris propter pestem, que, ut ad tuam credimus pervenisse noticiam, patriam hanc inaudita et incredibili clade vastavit, a curia secesserant nec adhuc redierunt ad illam, et quidam ex eis, qui in curia refata remanserant, infirmitate gravantur, elicere vel deliberare nequivimus, quid tibi super huiusmodi eiusdem nuncii tui ambassiata respondere possemus.

We, because some of our brothers, due to the plague, which, as we believe has come to your attention, had withdrawn from the [papal, C.O.] court and have not yet returned to it, and some of those who remained in the court are burdened by illness, have been unable to elicit or deliberate on what response we could give you regarding the embassy of your messenger concerning this matter. (Translation: Christian Oertel), assisted by ChatGPT 3.5.

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1349, January 1 – 1349, April 12

Around New Year of 1349 flagellants appeared in Austria and they remained active until Easter, when the plague diminished. The Jews were accused to have poisoned wells and other waters.

Anno 1349 circa circumcisionem Domini usque in pascham viri 40, 60 vel 100 coadunati per ecclesias discurrentes cum flagellis se denudantes usque ad cingulum publicas egerunt penitencias, cantando de passione Domini, quatenus pestilencia que tunc in quibusdam locis prevaluerat cessaret. Incusati autem Iudei, quod fontes et aquas eciam fluentes quibusdam pulveribus toxicassent, unde in superioribus partibus undique autem iugulati, et in Chremsa adusti sunt una cum domibus eorum.

In the year 1349 from around New Year and until Easter 40, 60 or 100 assembled men spread over the churches and beat themselves naked down to the belt requesting penitence in public and singing about the passion of the Lord until the plague, which in those places prevailed, ebbed away. The Jews were accused to have poisoned wells and other waters, also flowing ones, with powders. That is why they were killed in the upper parts [of the country] and in Krems they were burned together with one of their masters. (Translation: Christian Oertel)

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1357, November 1 – 1358, January 31

Clear weather around Florence causes a common cold with considerable mortality

Essendo dal cominciamento del verno continovato fino a gennaio un’ aria sottilissima, chiara e serena, e mantenuta sanza ravolgimento di nuvoli o di venti, oltre all’ usato naturale modo, per sperienza del fatto si conobbe che da questa aria venne una influenza, che poco meno che tutti i corpi umani della città, e del contado e distretto di Firenze, e delle circustanti vicinanze, fece infreddare, e durare il freddo avelenato ne’ corpi assai più lungamente che ll’ usato modo. E per dieta o per altri argomenti che’ medici [p. 167] sapessono trovare, no potieno avacciare la liberagione, né da quello liberare le loro persone, e molti dopo la lunga malatia ne morivano; e vegnendo apresso la primavera, molti morirono di subitana morte. Dissesi per li astrolaghi che ffu per influenza di costellazioni, altri per troppa sottigliezza d’aria nel tempo della vernata.

From the beginning of winter until the end of January [1358], a gentle weather (air), clear and sunny, persisted without any clouds or winds – very much beyond what is natural. By experience one knew that this weather exterted an influence on all human bodies in the city and the surrounding countryside of Florence, and let them catch a cold. And this poisonous cold stayed in the bodies much longer than usual. And the doctors could not provide a solution from diets and other measures, and many of the persons afflicted died after a long disease. And as spring came close, many died an instant death. The astrologuers said this was because of the influence of constellations, others said because of the subtile air during wintertime. (Translation: Martin Bauch)

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1422, September 1

King Władysław moves towards Toruń, but on the Saturday after the feast of St Giles (September 1) he drops his plan to attack it, because plague is rife there.

Sabbato post Sancti Aegidii, Wladislaus Rex contra Thorun volens procedere, [...] salubri consilio reductus est. Vigebat enim pestifera apud Thorunenses lues: propter quod nemini satis plecebat locum infectum adoriri, ne contagio quoque pestis ad exercitum regium penetraret.

(Translation needed)

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1463, October 1

Severe plague in Munich

Sambstag nach Michaelis [1463]. Item an dem tag alls die Pestilenz Laider, durch die geschiht Gottes vasst regieret und geregieret hette vost von Weinnechten bisher giengen auß iedem hauß ain Mensch die man besonder vnd die frauen sonder mit grosser andacht wainenden augen, vnd noch mit betriebten herzen und doch mit sonder grossen frolokhen zu dem wierdigen hailigthumb auf den Berg zu Andex. woll bey 5m. menschen die man hinauß mit processenvon den Pfarren und Clostern und wider herein mit grosser wirdigkait belaittet vnd mit grosser menig des Volkhs der statt des khain mensch gedenkht. Item desgleichen thete und hete man ain Process gehen unser lieben Frauen gehen Freißing in xiiii tagen darnach.

(Translation needed)

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1464, August 1 – 1464, August 26

Cessation of university operations in Greifswald due to the plague

post octavas s. Jacobi apostoli [1.8.], ut actus scholastici omnes suspenderentur usque ad festum s. Bartholomei apostoli [24.8.] propter tempus horribile, quo cepit invalescere pestis epydemie in hoc loco.

(Translation needed)

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References

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