How many people died between 1347-1350?

Question

The reason I ask is that I am reading a book called The Long European Reformation 1350-1750, by P. Wallace, and in chapter 1 he begins by saying 'between 1347 and 1350, an epidemic, later known as the black death, swept through Europe and killed perhaps one-third of its population.Imagine the effects of the frightening and unexplainable deaths of nearly two billion people' but when I turn to the next page he states that the population had ' grown rapidly, and by the fourteenth century, perhaps 75-80 million people inhabited the continent'. This statement confuses me, I know that he uses the word perhaps, and it would be hard to gather exact population figures, but these seem to be poles apart. I thought a billion is a thousand million in monetary terms, not quite sure for population counts. Does anyone know if I am just stupid and reading this wrong, or a way to find out an estimate of pre and post- Plague, Black Death populations for Europe, or could perhaps clear this up for me. Thx

Answer 1

When he said "one third of the population" and then said "two billion people" he meant that one third of TODAY'S WORLD population would be two billion people. He's mixing his apples (today's world population) with his oranges (Europe's population in 1348)

One third of Europe's population in the mid-14th century would be more like 25 million people. Most estimates of the death toll of the plagues of the time are ~25-30 million. Get it now? He's a victim of poor editing, a common occurance.

Answer 2

I guess that he means twenty million, or perhaps 30 million, but since the 14th century is seen to represent 1300 - 1400ad, the population only had 50 years to grow from 1350 - 1399. OR, were his statistics Before the plague, with only 50 million left afterwards. I think that they would be too busy surviving to worry about populations statistics. In some areas 80 - 90% of the population died whilst in others hardly anyone. The population was demographically mobile then so if you were in a "90% area" you probably wouldn't be a viable population, so probably would die out in the long term.

Answer 3

I believe the author was making a comparison for us in modern day.

We have a global population of 6+ Billion, so if 1/3 died it would be 2 billion.

We can estimate the population of Europe, but its a hard thing and you'll get a lot of numbers.

Answer 4

There were an estimated 20 to 30 million deaths in Europe.

Answer 5

If you research "The Great Mortality" you'll find all the information you need on the social and political significance of the Bubonic Plague in Europe. Here is a sample, below, taken from a much longer essay. The Great Mortality and its Socio-Economic Repercussions. The Great Mortality, better known to us as the Black Death, or the plague, wiped out 1/3 of the population of Europe and many other nations. Its impact was not only of the slain innocent, but it also impacted society in a socio-economic fashion. The Great Mortality changed the very core of how government was run, power was shifted, traditions were lost, and the economy completely changed. This was a new era; burying old traditions along with the dead and the rise of the “nouveaux riches.” ......................................... Today early treatments offer a cure for Bubonic Plague in 85 percent of cases.

Answer 6

25 million in Europe 1/3rd of the population

Answer 7

The two billion figure probably applies to today's world. It is actually an over exageration as two billion is a far higher proportin of the current worlds population than the black plague is recorded as having affected.

Answer 8

The UN building burned and all the records were lost in 1402.

Answer 9

If I tell you the number and then you will ask the names and addresses of all

Answer 10

I think your right and I totally agree