Here ships were ready to
take the produce of the East to Constantinople, the capital of
commerce, and the medium of communication between Europe, Asia,
and Africa. Other caravans went from Europe to Asia Minor and
touched at the cities south of the Caspian Sea, and lastly there
were others from Bagdad through Arabia to Egypt; the maritime
communication on the Red Sea to Arabia and Egypt was also not
inconsiderable. In all these directions contagion found its way,
though doubtless Constantinople and the harbors of Asia Minor
were the chief foci of infection, whence it radiated to the most
distant seaports and islands. As early as 1347 the Mediterranean
shores were visited by the plague, and in January, 1348, it
appeared in the south of France, the north of Italy, and also in
Spain. Place after place was attacked throughout the year, and
after ravishing the whole of France and Germany, the plague
appeared in England, a period of three months elapsing before it
reached London. The northern kingdoms were attacked in 1349, but
in Russia it did not make its appearance before 1351.
As to the mortality of this fearful epidemic Dupony considers
that in the space of four years more than 75,000,000 fell
victims, that is, about half of the population of the countries
visited.
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