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black-death
The Black Death was a devastating pandemic in 1348-50 that killed about one-third of the population from India to Iceland, serving as a central focus for the book's exploration of 14th-century society.
1 chapter across 1 book
A Distant Mirror (1600)Barbara Tuchman
Preamble
The chapter 'Preamble' introduces Barbara Tuchman's 'A Distant Mirror,' focusing on the multifaceted crises of the 14th century, including the Black Death, war, taxation, and church schism, which collectively shaped the era's turmoil. It highlights the challenges of medieval historiography, such as exaggerated figures, contradictory sources, and the difficulty of empathizing with medieval Christian values and chivalric ideals, while also noting historiographical shifts and the complexity of medieval currency.