The Black Death killed millions of Europeans and threw kingdoms into turmoil. However, this essay will argue that the plague improved the financial conditions of survivors and ultimately ushered Europe into a new era of prosperity. The Black Death or Black Death or even Bubonic Plague was one of the worst and most devastating pandemics in human history. The Black Death was a serious disease concentrated in Europe, killing between 70 and 200 million people, peaking in the 13th and 14th centuries. The disease is believed to be caused by a bacteria called Yersinia Pestis, which was only discovered at the end of the 19th century by French scientist Alexandre Yersin. The bacteria infected rats and then evolved to be able to spread to fleas and then to humans. The Black Death had many symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes, blackening of the extremities such as toes, fingers, nose, as well as coughing, vomiting blood and bursting buboes, which were extremely painful. It was also noted that the Black Death originated and traveled along the Silk Trade Route early in its era. Before the Black Death broke out in Europe, the continent was already in a state of despair and economic hardship. The largest kingdoms in Europe before the Black Death were the kingdoms of France, England, and Italy, which included the Holy Roman Empire. One of the reasons for the economic turmoil that Europe was experiencing before the arrival of the plague was due to the wars and campaigns waged by major states and kingdoms that had a huge impact on the European economy. The most notable war that occurred before, during and even after the Black Death was the Hundred Years' War which was fought with...... middle of paper...... on the plane physical and technological. Both economists argue that if Europe's population had continued to grow significantly, it would still have reached the level of development of China in the 18th century. In conclusion, the Black Death killed millions of Europeans and put kingdoms in turmoil, especially in the case of France. However, it also moved Europe forward and ushered in a new era of prosperity for the continent. This excerpt from the article on Europe after the plague sums it up perfectly: “What does this mean for today? Fortunately, few events with as many casualties as the plague have occurred in recent centuries. Epidemics act like what Voigtländer calls a "neutron bomb", wiping out populations but relatively little economic capital (unlike, for example, the two world wars of the 20th century, which caused enormous material damage and dozens of deaths). millions of deaths).).”