Demographical Changes in the Late Middle Ages
Medieval Europe at the beginning of the 14th century was marked by dramatic population decrease. The climate changes, the Great Famine of 1315-1317, growth of food prices, extremely exploited land, incessant wars and the Black Death in the 1340’s killed about one third, in some regions even up to one half of the total population.
The Black Death was definitely the most dramatic and devastating event of the Late Middle Ages although the demographic decline started before the outbreak of the most deadly plague pandemics in history. The contemporary repots probably greatly exaggerated the number of deaths from the bubonic plague but the Black Death caused great horror and insecurity throughout Europe. The mortality greatly varied from region to region but bubonic plague probably would not be so devastating if there had not been for sporadic outbreaks over the next 50 years.