Plague – Tudors Dynasty

The King’s Fear of the Plague

July 28, 2016 by Rebecca Larson 1 Comment

The excessive fear of plague and illness for Henry VIII was none stop. Stories are told that upon the birth of Prince Edward his household had been cleaned daily to prevent illness and early death. Because of the high mortality rate and lack of antibiotics in the mid 16th century the king would sometimes require notifications from those who served him and were affected by illness. They were often required to report to his ministers on the appearance of the plague in his [More]

The Black Death or “The Great Pestilence”

November 12, 2015 by Rebecca Larson 6 Comments

Europeans were introduced to The Black Death, or "The Great Pestilence" (by sea) in 1347 when twelve trade ships docked at a Sicilian port. Most on board were dead and those who were alive were gravely ill - they would soon die as well. On board were men covered with black boils that oozed blood and pus - it was eventually given the name, "Black Death." The Black Death knew no status - when a person became infected with this plague they would die within a few days. It [More]