1348-01-00-Pisa 002
Map
Factbox for ID"Page ID" records the ID of a page. It is is provided by the <a class="external text" href="https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Semantic_Extra_Special_Properties">Semantic Extra Special Properties</a> extension. 626
| Date startStart date of the disease. | January 1348 "Janu" is not a number. | + |
| Date endEnd date of the disease. | + | |
| SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter) | ||
| Date otherOther mentioned dates. | ||
| PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. | Naples, Pisa, Sicily | |
| RegionHistorical region(s) | ||
| CountryCurrent country | ||
| RiverMentioned river(s) | ||
| Natural eventMentioned natural event(s) | ||
| PersonMentioned persons(s) | ||
| GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned | ||
| VictimIndication of victims | + | |
| AnimalMentioned animal(s) | ||
| DiseaseMentioned disease(s) | Plague | |
| Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave | ||
| Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease | ||
| LanguageLanguage of the original text | Italian | |
| KeywordFurther keyword(s) | Epidemics, Mortality | |
| FactGridIDIdentifier of an item in FactGrid database | Q1871744 | |
| last edited | 11. 03. 2026 by Martin Bauch. |
Outbreak of a severe plague with a high mortality in Pisa caused by the Genoese galleys and almost collapse of the social order.
Text originalOriginal text
E nel ditto anno milltrecientoquarantotto, di po' questo mutamento, venne una novella a Pisa, come in Cicilia e a Napuli si era incomincciata una grande mortalità di gente, poi venne come s'era incomincciata in Genova. E, alla 'ntrata di gennaio, venne in Pisa due ghaleie delli gienovesi, che veniano di Romania. E come furono giunte alla piassa delli Pesci chiunque favella co lloro subitamente tornava a casa malato e in poghi dì morto, e chiunqua favellava al malato o tocchasse di quelli morti altressì tosto amalava e morto era in poghi dì. E ffu sì sparta la grande corrutione che quazi ogni persona moria. E fue sì grande la paura che ll'uno non volea vedere l'autro, lo padre non volea veder lo figluolo morire, né 'l figluolo lo padre, né ll'uno fratello l'autro, né lla donna lo marito, e ogni persona fuggia la morte <e poco li valea che chiunque dovea morire, si moria>. E non ssi trovava persona che llo volesse portare a ffossa né sotterrare. Ma quello Signore che fecie lo Cielo e la Terra providde bene ogni cosa, che llo padre vedendo morire lo suo figluolo e morto e abandonato da ogni persona, che niuno lo volea tochare né chucire né portare, elli si 'chuzava morto. E poi faciea elli stesso lo meglo ch'ello potea, elli lo chucia e ppoi con aiuto d'altri lo portava a la fossa, elli stesso lo sotterava. E poi l'autro giorno elli e chiunqua l'avea tocchato si era morto. Ma ben ti dico che ffu proveduto di dare aiuto l'uno all'autro, che 'n tutto che cciaschuno moria, chiunque tochasse lui o di suoe cose u denari u panni, non di meno non ne rimase niuno morto in nessuna casa che non ffusse sotterato (p. 146) honoratamenta seconda la qualità sua. In tanta carità diè Iddio che ll'uno uzando coll'autro achuzando se morto, e' dicieano: 'Aiutalli a portare a ffossa, acciò che siamo portati anco noi', e chi per amore e chi per denari. E la persona il più istava malata il più due o tre dì inssine in quattro, ma poghi, e la maggiore parte moriano i più brevi iddì.
Text translationEnglish translation of the text
And in the said year 1348, shortly after this change, news came to Pisa that in Sicily and in Naples a great mortality of people had begun; afterward it was reported that it had also begun in Genoa. And at the beginning of January two Genoese galleys arrived in Pisa, coming from Romania. And when they reached the Fish Market square, whoever spoke with them immediately returned home sick and within a few days dead. And whoever spoke with the sick or touched those who had died likewise soon became ill and died within a few days. And the great corruption spread so widely that almost everyone was dying. And such great fear arose that one person did not wish to see another: the father did not wish to see his son die, nor the son his father, nor one brother another, nor the wife her husband; and everyone fled from death—though it helped little, for whoever was destined to die died. And no one could be found who wished to carry the dead to the grave or bury them. But that Lord who made Heaven and Earth provided well for everything: when a father saw his son dying, dead and abandoned by everyone—since no one wished to touch him, shroud him, or carry him—he would consider himself already dead. Then he himself did the best he could: he would sew him in a shroud and, with the help of others, carry him to the grave and bury him himself. And the next day he and whoever had touched him would also be dead. But I tell you that provision was made for people to help one another. Although anyone who touched the sick or their belongings—money or clothes—would die, nevertheless no one remained dead in any house without being buried honorably according to his rank. God gave such charity among people that they excused one another and said: “Let us help carry them to the grave, so that we too may be carried when our time comes,” some doing so out of love, others for money. And the sick person usually remained ill for no more than two or three days, sometimes four—but few—and most died within the shortest time.
