Siege

For Siege, a total of 10 epidemic events are known so far. It is a keyword.

Table

Table

Page	DateStart date of the disease.	SummarySummary of the disease event	OriginalOriginal text	TranslationEnglish translation of the text	ReferenceReference(s) to literature	Reference translationReference(s) to the translation
1191-00-00-Neapel 0002	1191 JL	After the coronation of Henry VI. he conquered all the land to Naples. The siege of Naples falled because a plague broke out among the soldiers and Henry and his wife Constance fell ill as well. Constance died shortly after that. (Actually she died only the 27th November 1198)	Come lo 'mperadore Arrigo conquistò il regno di Puglia Come il detto Arrigo fu coronato imperadore [1191], e isposata Gostanza imperadrice, onde ebbe in dota il reame di Cicilia e di Puglia con consentimento del papa e della Chiesa, e rendendone il censo usato, e già nato Federigo suo figliuolo, incontanente con sua oste e colla moglie n'andòe nel Regno, e vinse tutto il paese infino a la città di Napoli, ma que' di Napoli non si vollono arrendere, onde Arrigo vi puose l'assedio, e stettevi tre mesi. E nella detta oste fue tanta pestilenzia d'infermità e di mortalità, che 'l detto Arrigo e la moglie v'infermaro, e della sua gente vi morì la maggiore parte; onde per necessità si levò dal detto assedio con pochi quasi inn-isconfitta, e infermo tornò a Roma, e la 'mperadrice Gostanza per malatia presa ne l'oste poco appresso si morìo, e lasciò Federigo suo figliuolo piccolino in guardia e in tutela di santa Chiesa. […]	How the emperor Arrigo conquered the kingdom Puglia As the said Arrigo was crowned emperor [1191], and married empress Gostanza, so he had the kingdom of Sicily and Apulia as a dowry, with the consent of the pope and the Church, and making the fee used, and already Federigo his son was born, He went into the kingdom with his entourage and his wife and conquered the whole country as far as the city of Naples, but the people of Naples did not want to surrender, so Arrigo laid siege to it and stayed there for three months. In the camp there was such a plague of sickness and death that the said Arrigo and his wife fell ill, and most of his people died there; so that he had to leave the siege with a few almost unconquered, and he returned to Rome sick, and the empress Gostanza died a short time later of a disease caught in the camp, and left Federigo his young son in the custody of the Holy Church.	Giovanni Villani 1990,Vol. 1, p. 247.	Translation by DeepL
1255-00-00-Foggia	1255 JL	Many deaths in the army of the Pope in Foggia, but only few in the besieging army.	Talis autem tempore illo fortuna Principis fuit, quod licet de Papali exercitu in Fogia multi quotidie morerentur, multique infirmi jacerent; in Principis tamen exercitu, qui ante Civitatem erat, paucissimi infirmi, duoque tantum ibi defuncti fuerunt.	Such, however, was the fortune of the Prince at that time, that although many from the Papal army in Foggia died daily, and many lay sick, in the Prince's army, which was before the city, very few were sick, and only two died there.	Nicolaus de Jamsilla Historia, p. 576.	Translation by Martin Bauch
1311-00-00-Brescia	1311 JL	The army of the Roman-Germanic King Henry VII. is decimated by epidemics during the siege of Brescia	Multi quidem de exercitu mortui sunt ferro, alii vero epidemia crudelissima in omni parte praedicti exercitus continue vexati, absque nullo remedio mortui sunt quasi tertia pars eorum; equi eorum et iumenta a muschis occisa in magna quantitate. [...] Multa mala passus est Henricus, et gentes eius, expensis, ferro, peste, et epidemia; dicitur communiter, quod ibi mortui sunt plusquam decem millia viri bellatores	Many from this army were killed by fighting, but othery by a most cruel epidemic that hit everywhere in the aforementioned army. Without any remedy a third part of them died; and their horses and draft animals were killed by the mosquitos in large numbers [...] Henry had to suffer a lot of evil things: Expenses, war, plague and epidemics. Many people said that there died more than ten thousand fighters	Guglielmo Ventura 1848, Sp. 780	Translation by Martin Bauch
1323-07-00-Iglesias	July 1323 JL	The city of Villa di Chiesa (today Iglesias) on Sardinia is under siege by the crown Prince Alfonso of Aragon. His army and he himself suffer from severe fevers.	ma da un altro lato messer lo infante e tutta la sua oste furono colti da tante malattie ch’e’vi perdettero una gran parte dei combattenti, e l’infante stesso se ne trovò malissimo, e fu in gran pericolo di morire, se non fossero state le sollecitudini di madonna l’infanta; per la qual cosa debbe dirsi debitore a Dio e a lei della ricuperata salute. Ma intanto nè medico, nè altro uomo potette persuadere a messer lo infante, quantunque malato, di staccarsi dall‘ assedio; all‘ incontro più volte colla febbre addosso vestiva gli arnesi di guerra e menava i suoi alla pugna.	But on the other side, the Lord crown prince and all his troops were attacked by lots of diseases that made them lose a great part of their fighters. And the crown prince himself felt very bad and was in danger of dying, if the crown princes had not been so insisting with him. That's why he was indebted to God and her that he regained his health. But neither a doctor nor another man could persuade the crown princes, still ill, to stay away from the siege; in full armour, but still suffering from fevers, he lead his men to attack	Crónica di Raimonodo Muntaner 1844, p. 609	Translation by Martin Bauch
1323-08-24-Milano	24 August 1323 JL	Pope John XXII. informs the Florentines of the German mercenaries and the disease that made the Papal Army retreat from Milan	Dum enim noster et ecclesie Romane favente Domino felix exercitus civitatem Mediolanensem intra burgos pre foribus, sicut nostis, cum gente vestra, quam devote ac liberaliter transmisitis, duriter obsideret, quia stipendiariorum Theutonicorum quedam proditrix multitudo transfugit ad hostes et superveniente postmodum intemperie aeris estivalis idem exercitus morbescebat.	But when our and the Roman churches successfull army, with god's grace, lay siege on the city of Milan from its suburbs, with our soldiers and your people that you have sent so liberally and loyally, it had to flee facing a multitude of German mercenaries and inclement summer air that made the said army fell ill.	MGH Const. 5, No. 780, p. 607	Translation by Martin Bauch
1323-09-00-Milano	28 July 1323 JL	The Papal commander Raimondo di Cardona leads an army to attack Milan, but a ravaging disease forces him and his army to retreat to Monza	Multi ergo diebus dominus Raymondus praedictus cum militum et peditum copiosa comitiva burogs Mediolani occupavit, et inde Mediolanensibus intrinsecis multa damna dedit, et persaepe alii alios invadebant; tandem causante calore, et multitudine gentium causam praebente, aer corrumpitur, et maxima epidemia generatur in burgis, adeo quod intra modicum tempus magis quam tercenti ex soldatis ipsius domini Raymondi sunt peremti, et fere circa DCCC graviter infirmati, quod attente considerans domninus Raymondus praedictus, timens de futuris, tam de morte infirmantium, quam etiam de statu proprio, et de attenuatione etiam exercitus, per hunc modum, more prodentis, viam eligens tutiorem, caute infirmos omnes super currus et vehicula poni fecit, et Modoeciam secure conduci.	Many days the aforementioned Lord Raimondo occupied with many knights and soldiers the suburbs of Milano, and he caused the besieged Milanese a lot of damage, and often they attacked each other. But because of the heat and the masses of people, the air corrupted and a very big epidemic broke out in the suburbs. Within short time more than 300 soldiers of Lord Raimondo had died, and almost 800 had fell ill. After careful reflection, the aforementioned Lord Raimond who feared for the future both the death of the infected as his personal health, but also the lessening of his army, wisely he chose to put the sick on carts and other vehicles and led them securely to Monza	Guglielmo Ventura 1848, Sp. 816	None
1327-09-06-Pisa	6 September 1327 JL	Epidemic hits the army of Castruccio Castracani during or after the siege of Pisa, a German count and the Bishop of Eichstätt die.	Vocatus per Castrucium dominum Lucanum venit in Tusciam, ubi obsedit civitatem Pysanam, quam tandem obtinuit, et dominum ibidem Castrucio commisit. Ubi pestilencia gravis multos homines interemit, inter quos fuit Gebhardus de Graispach episcopus Eystetensis et comes de Sein nomine Gozibertus.	Summoned by Lord Castruccio of Lucca, he came to Tuscany, where he besieged the city of Pisa, which he eventually captured, and entrusted it to Lord Castruccio. There, a severe pestilence killed many people, among whom were Gebhard III. of Graisbach, Bishop of Eichstätt, and Gottfried II, Count of Sayn.	Heinrich Taube von Selbach 1922, p. 38.	Translation by Martin Bauch
1346-00-00-Orient	1346 JL	Report of Gabrielle de Mussis: In the Orient happened an unexplained plague, depopultating many regions. During the siege of Feodosia (Caffa) by the Tartars, their army was afflicted by the disease. The plague, which initially struck the Tartars, spread than also inside the city, because they ordered the plague-stricken corpses to be thrown over the walls of Caffa. The situation deteriorated, and people were expecting the impending judgement Day.	Anno domini MCCCXLVI. in partibus orientis, InfinitaTartarorum et Saracenorum genera, morbo inexplicabili, et morte subita corruerunt. Ipsarumque parcium latissime regiones, Infinite prouincie, regna magnifica, vrbes, Castra, et loca, plena hominurn multitudine copiosa, morbo pressa, et horrende rnortis morsibus, propriis Acollis denudata paruo tempore deffecerunt. Nan (!) locus dictus Thanna, in partibus orientis, uersus Acquilonem Constantinopolitana contrada (I) sub Tartarorum dominio constituta, ubi merchatores ytalici confluebant, cum propter quosdam excessus, superuenientibus Tartaris infinitis, modico temporis Interuollo (!) obsessa, et hostiliter debellata, deserta penitus remaneret. Accidit ut uiolenter christianj merchatores expulsi, Intra menia Terre Caffensis, quam ab olim illa Regione Januenses extruxerant, fugientes christiani sese pro suarum tutione personarum et rerum, Tartarorum formidantes potenciam, Armato Nauigio receptarent. Ha deus. Ecce subito, gentes Tartarorum profane, vndique confluentes, Caffensem urbem circurndantes, incluxos christicolas obsederunt, fere Triennio perdurantes. lbique hostium exercitu Infinito uallati, vix poterant respirare, licet Nauigio Alimenta ferrente illud talle subsidium intrinsecis spem modicam exhyberet. Et ecce Morbo Tartaros inuadente totus exercitus perturbatus longuebat et cottidie Infinita millia sunt extincta videbatur eis, sagittas euolare de celo , tangere et opprimere superbiam Tartarorum. qui statim signati corporibus In iuncturis , humore coagulato in Inguinibus, febre putrida subsequente, expirabant, omni conscilio et auxilio medicorum cessante. Quod Tartari, ex tanta clade et morbo pestifero fatigati, sic defficientes attoniti et vndique stupefacti, sine spe salutis mori conspicientes, cadavera, machinis eorum superposita, Intra Caffensem vrbem precipitari Jubebant, ut ipsorum fectore(!) intollerabili, omnino defficerent. Sic sic proiecta videbantur Cacurnina mortuorum, nec christiani latere, nec fugere, nec a tali precipicio liberari valebant, licet deffunctos, quos poterant marinis traderent fluctibus inmergendos. Moxque toto aere inffecto, et aqua uenenata, corrupta putredine, tantusque fetor Increbuit ut vix ex Millibus vnus, relicto exercitu fingere conaretur qui eciam uenenatus alijs ubique uenena preparans, solo aspectu, loca et homines, morbo Inffieret uniuersos. Nec aliquis sciebat, uel poterat viam lnuenire satutis. Sic undique Orientalibus, et meridiana plaga, et qui in Aquilone degebant, sagita percussis Asperima, que coporibus crepidinem Inducebat, morbo pressis pestiffero, fere onmes, defficiebant, et morte subita corruebant. Quanta, qualisque fuerit mortalitas generalis, Cathaijnj, lndi, Perses, Medi , Cardenses, Armeni, Tarsenses, Georgianj, Mesopotami, Nubiani, Ethijopes, Turchumani, Egiptij, Arabici, Saraceni, Greci et fere toto oriente corrupto, clamoribus, flectibus(!) et singultibus occupati, a supra dicto Millesimo usque ad Millesimo, CCCXLVIIII in amaritudine commorantes, extremum deij Judicium suspicantur.	In the year of Our Lord 1346, in the eastern regions, innumerable races of Tartars and Saracens perished due to an inexplicable plague and sudden death. Vast regions of these parts, countless provinces, magnificent kingdoms, cities, castles, and places filled with a dense population, were struck by the plague and succumbed to the horrific bites of death, being emptied of their inhabitants in a short time. For instance, a place called Thanna, in the eastern parts, towards the north near the territory of Constantinople under Tartar rule, where Italian merchants used to gather, was besieged and attacked by countless Tartars over a short period, and left completely desolate after an onslaught. It happened that the Christian merchants, violently expelled, fled to the fortified city of Caffa, which had been constructed long ago in that region by the Genoese, seeking protection for their lives and belongings. The Tartars, fearing the power of their enemy, surrounded the city and laid siege for nearly three years. Besieged by the massive Tartar army, the inhabitants barely managed to survive, despite some help brought by ships carrying supplies, which offered them only slight hope. Suddenly, the Tartars themselves were struck by disease, and their entire army began to weaken and was daily afflicted, with countless numbers dying. It seemed as if arrows were falling from the sky to strike and humble the pride of the Tartars. The infected showed signs in their joints and groins, with a thickened fluid, followed by a putrid fever, causing them to die despite all medical advice or aid. Exhausted by this disastrous plague, the Tartars, seeing no hope of recovery and stunned by the devastation, ordered the bodies of their dead to be catapulted into the city of Caffa to spread the intolerable stench and weaken the inhabitants. Thus, the Christians could neither hide nor escape nor free themselves from this danger, even though they threw the corpses they could into the sea to be carried away by the waves. The air was soon contaminated, the water poisoned, and the corruption spread so intensely that scarcely one in a thousand survived to flee, those who did often carrying the infection, spreading it wherever they went and infecting people and places simply by their presence. No one knew or could find a way to salvation. Thus, in the eastern regions, the southern lands, and the northern inhabitants, struck by the harshest arrows of disease that ate into the body, almost everyone succumbed and fell to sudden death. The scale and nature of the widespread mortality were such that the Cathayans, Indians, Persians, Medes, Kardians, Armenians, Tarsians, Georgians, Mesopotamians, Nubians, Ethiopians, Turcomans, Egyptians, Arabs, Saracens, Greeks, and nearly the entire East, overcome by cries, weeping, and sobs, suspected the final judgment, remaining in bitterness from the said year 1346 until 1349.	Template:Gabrielle de Mussi, pp. 48–49	Translation by Martin Bauch
1363-00-00-Montecalvoli	1363 JL	The siege of Montecalvoli was lifted because the plague struck badly the army and the captain was ill as well.	Come morì messer Piero da Farnese Essendo entrata la furia della pistilenza dell'anguinaia ne l'oste de'Fiorentini, molti n'uccise, molti ne 'ndebolì, molti ne 'nvilì. Il perché essendo levato l'assedio da Montecalvoli, per comandamento de' signori di Firenze, il capitano era in Castello Fiorentino, e quivi lo prese il male dell'anguinaia a dì XVIIII di giugno, e il detto dì n'andò a Sa Miniato del Tedesco, e quivi in su la mezza notte passò di questa vita, e il corpo suo inn-una cassa alle spese del Comune fu recato in Firenze, e posato a Verzaia, aspettando Ranuccio (p. 662) suo fratello per cui era mandato; poi a dì XXV del mese il corpo suo fu recato in Firenze alle spese del Comune con amirabile pompa d'asequio, le quali furono di questa maniera… [...]	How Messer Piero da Farnese Died When the fury of the plague struck the Florentine army, it killed many, weakened many, and demoralized many. After the siege of Montecalvoli was lifted on the orders of the lords of Florence, the captain was in Castello Fiorentino, where he was struck by the disease known as "Anguinaia" (plague boils) on June 19th. On that same day, he went to San Miniato al Tedesco, where he passed away around midnight. His body was placed in a coffin at the expense of the Commune and taken to Florence, where it was laid in Verzaia while waiting for his brother Ranuccio, who had been summoned. Then, on the 25th of the month, his body was brought to Florence at the expense of the Commune with remarkable pomp and ceremony, which proceeded in this manner… [...]	Matteo Villani 1995, Vol. 2, pp. 661-662	Translation by ChatGPT-3.5; Translation by DeepL;
1483-07-02-Metz	2 July 1483 JL	A procession is organized in Metz because of the plague.	Item, le second jour de jullet, on fit une procession généralle à St-Arnoult [...]. Et la cause d'icelle procession fut pour troix raixons, le première en remerciant Dieu de la belle année et de la fertillité des biens de terre qu'il nous avoit envoyés, luy priant de les amender; la seconde, luy priant qu'il ly pleut à cesser son ire, pour le fait de la pestillance qui alors couroit trè fort en la cité et au pays; et la tierce, en luy requérant qu'il noz voulust donner victoire encontre nous ennemis, par especial contre ceux de Rechiesmont, où que la cité tenoit le siège.	The 2nd of July was held a procession at St-Arnoult church [...] There was three reasons for this procession. First, to thank God for the fruitful year we had and to ask Him to keep agricultural goods safe. Secondly, to ask Him to stop his wrath, because of the pestilence that ravaged the city and the countryside. Third, to ask Him to give us victory against our enemies, especially concerning the siege of Richemont.	Journal de Jean Aubrion, p. 154	Translation by Thomas Labbé

Authority data: