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I hope we have. Some fonts say one third, others say one half... anyway, a big portion of the european population was killed because of the plague.
Plague and Burgs
The plague stroke at Europe as a huge wave, no doubt of it, but in fact, as several italian, spanish and french historians wrote, the more populous cities a kingdom had, the most damage the plague did. Plague spreads quickly in towns and large villages, but in the country its effects are very limited. In the worst years of 1346-1348 it is said that large cities as Barcelona, Paris, Milano and Firenze, for example, lost about 60% or even more inhabitants, meanwhile people in the country (although affectd by infected migrators from the city) only had a 15-25% casualties.
So, I think that Paradox should have this point in mind when programming Great Plague. Kingdoms with large cities and trading centers of importance should suffer more than rural, according to historic spread of the Plague.
The plague stroke at Europe as a huge wave, no doubt of it, but in fact, as several italian, spanish and french historians wrote, the more populous cities a kingdom had, the most damage the plague did. Plague spreads quickly in towns and large villages, but in the country its effects are very limited. In the worst years of 1346-1348 it is said that large cities as Barcelona, Paris, Milano and Firenze, for example, lost about 60% or even more inhabitants, meanwhile people in the country (although affectd by infected migrators from the city) only had a 15-25% casualties.
So, I think that Paradox should have this point in mind when programming Great Plague. Kingdoms with large cities and trading centers of importance should suffer more than rural, according to historic spread of the Plague.
Re: Plague and Burgs
Very good point. It wasn't quite as simple as that, though. In the great plague of the mid-1300s, Trade centers such as Milan, Liege and Nuremburg made it through virtually unscathed, while other cities wee hit hard. It's true about rural areas away from the trade routes being somewhat safe. The Balkans, northern Scotland and other isolated areas seems to have been untouched. The seemingly random way the plague stryck reinforced the belief it was caused by God's wrath or witches or something. Maybe CK could somehow randomize the effects of the plague and have people in hard-hit area go bananas with religious fervor, thinking they must redeem themselves. What thy actually needed was a shower but hey, these ARE the Middle Ages, after all...
Contemporary sources state that Rouen and Avignon lost 100 000 and 60 000 respectively to the plague. The problem is, Rouen had only 35 000 inhabitants and Avignon maybe 30 000. Bad calculus or refugees from the countryside?
Very good point. It wasn't quite as simple as that, though. In the great plague of the mid-1300s, Trade centers such as Milan, Liege and Nuremburg made it through virtually unscathed, while other cities wee hit hard. It's true about rural areas away from the trade routes being somewhat safe. The Balkans, northern Scotland and other isolated areas seems to have been untouched. The seemingly random way the plague stryck reinforced the belief it was caused by God's wrath or witches or something. Maybe CK could somehow randomize the effects of the plague and have people in hard-hit area go bananas with religious fervor, thinking they must redeem themselves. What thy actually needed was a shower but hey, these ARE the Middle Ages, after all...
Contemporary sources state that Rouen and Avignon lost 100 000 and 60 000 respectively to the plague. The problem is, Rouen had only 35 000 inhabitants and Avignon maybe 30 000. Bad calculus or refugees from the countryside?
The reason some cities got through almost unharmed, was that they imposed a very strict regime regarding who's getting into the city. I think it was the Milanese city council that quarantined the whole city all through the plague.
"Contemporary sources state that Rouen and Avignon lost 100 000 and 60 000 respectively to the plague. The problem is, Rouen had only 35 000 inhabitants and Avignon maybe 30 000. Bad calculus or refugees from the countryside?"
If that is a verifiable claim, I would suggest that you were along the right lines with the countryside thinking, where by and far the largest amount of the population lived and worked. The rural areas closest to these cities would understandably have much contact with city inhabitants. Indeed, it was probably no more than an hour or two walk to the countryside enclaves from the town centers.
If that is a verifiable claim, I would suggest that you were along the right lines with the countryside thinking, where by and far the largest amount of the population lived and worked. The rural areas closest to these cities would understandably have much contact with city inhabitants. Indeed, it was probably no more than an hour or two walk to the countryside enclaves from the town centers.
True. The deaths due to plague in England in the 1300s vary from 5% to 50% of the oppulation, depending on what sources you trust. Probably depending on how close to a major city a certain village was located. Also, whether it was countryside or city, the clergy were dropping like flies, because they came into contact with the deseased.
Black plague in Norway:
between 50 and 75 % of the population were killed, before the plague Norway had about 500 000, maybe 600 000 inhabitans, afterwards it was reduced to 150 000+.
I've read that parts of Bohemia and Poland weren't harmed by it.
between 50 and 75 % of the population were killed, before the plague Norway had about 500 000, maybe 600 000 inhabitans, afterwards it was reduced to 150 000+.
I've read that parts of Bohemia and Poland weren't harmed by it.
Well, we know we can not trust the figures from those years, statistics was not their strongest side I guess...
Anyway, it must have been a catastrophic event and as such it should be considered in the game... don't you think?
Anyway, it must have been a catastrophic event and as such it should be considered in the game... don't you think?
Of course, anyway it doesn´t matter too much wich sources you trust, it was a huge catastrophe, and i think it must be represented in CK, I think...
IIRC It's because Kazimierz the Great imposed quarantine
But it's not true that Poland was not harmed. It was, but goes much more lightly than western Europe.