THE RECORD
What changed
A mid-fourteenth-century pandemic struck Europe, West Asia and North Africa with varied mortality and later recurrences.
EVIDENCE
What remains
Ancient DNA identifies Yersinia pestis, while chronicles, wills and tax records document demographic shock.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Labour scarcity disrupted wages and landlord relations, but outcomes depended on institutions and policy.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
One third of Europe is only a rough shorthand; origins, routes, climate and hosts remain active research topics.