Between 1346 and 1350, about a third of the European population succumbed to the plague, which spread westward from Crimea. It wasn't until the 20th century that comparable catastrophes occurred. Klaus Bergdolt provides a comprehensive picture of the "Black Death," which changed Europe as significantly as the world wars of our time. After a review of the plagues of antiquity and the early Middle Ages, along with an introduction to the medical issues, Klaus Bergdolt presents the everyday realities of the plague through the eyes of contemporary chroniclers. He then analyzes the accompanying phenomena of the Black Death, such as flagellant processions and pogroms against Jews, and ultimately shows the influence of the plague on late medieval art and literature.