Watch The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague

The Black Death remains one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, causing millions of deaths across Europe in just a few years. In The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague, Dorsey Armstrong, a professor of medieval literature and history at Purdue University, delivers a comprehensive and fascinating course on this catastrophic event from the Great Courses Signature Collection.

Armstrong presents the historical context of the Black Death, explaining the ways in which social, economic, and cultural factors contributed to the spread of the disease across continents. Beginning with the outbreak of the disease in China in the 1330s, she traces its path along trade routes to Europe, where it devastated populations in a matter of years.

The course delves into the experiences of those affected by the pandemic, both in the cities and in the countryside. Armstrong illuminates the impact that the Black Death had on medieval society, from the breakdown of traditional social structures to the rise of opportunistic individuals exploiting the chaos. She explores the way that the pandemic changed Western culture and set the stage for the modern world.

Throughout the course, Armstrong synthesizes information from a range of sources, including historical records, scientific studies, and literature, to provide a multidisciplinary understanding of the Black Death. She presents the scientific explanations for how the plague managed to spread, and explores the various types of symptoms and mutations that the disease underwent throughout the outbreak.

While Armstrong carefully outlines the different theories of what caused the Black Death, she also recognizes the limitations of our knowledge about the pandemic. Many of the historical records that survived are incomplete or biased, and much of what we know about the Black Death comes from anecdotal accounts. Armstrong acknowledges the difficulties of interpreting such accounts and encourages critical thinking and skepticism.

The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague also considers the long-term impact of the pandemic on Western civilization. Armstrong explores the cultural, political, and social changes that emerged in the aftermath of the pandemic, from the rise of the Renaissance to the development of the modern nation-state. She recognizes that the pandemic was not only a devastating tragedy, but also a transformative event that shaped the course of history.

Throughout the lectures, Armstrong is engaging and enthusiastic, delivering complex material in a clear and digestible way. She frequently draws on contemporary examples to illustrate the relevance of the Black Death to our modern world, such as the Ebola epidemic and debates about public health policies. Her engaging style and clear explanations make the complicated material accessible to a broad audience.

The production quality of the course is excellent, with clear and high-quality visuals that help to illustrate the material. The lectures are accompanied by informative maps, diagrams, and animations that help to explain technical concepts and historical events. The course comes with a downloadable guidebook that provides summaries, outlines, and additional resources for each lecture.

Overall, The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague is an engrossing and informative course that offers a deep understanding of one of the most catastrophic events in human history. Dorsey Armstrong's expertise and enthusiasm shine through in every lecture, making this course a must-watch for anyone interested in medieval history, public health, or the course of human civilization.

The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between November 1, 2016 and on The Great Courses Signature Collection