After the Black Death, was there a period of lawlessness and anarchy?

by BreaksFull

I understand that the Black Death -specifically the outbreak in the 1300s- gutted the populations of many cities and nations. Did any countries enter a sort of post-apocalyptic time, where anarchy reigned since most of the leaders were dead? Did any governments collapse in the chaos? Did any people or groups take advantage of societal breakdown for their own gain?

Iago_Huws

A lot of civil institutions and control mechanisms (for example serfdom on England) did collapse after the plague outbreaks in the second half of the 14th century. You could say it seeded the ground for the Peasants Revolt, but as they were 3 decades between the main outbreak of plague and the Revolt I don't think it would fit the criteria you are stating. Clearly during the plague itself there was little law, however, the plague itself and the fear of it likely sufficed to keep the streets clear and people in their houses when possible. Across continental Europe groups of Flagellants who practiced self-mortification became popular (eventually earning the papacy's disdain) but in England it never caught on to the extent it did in what is now Germany where crowds of hundreds would wander aimlessly and pray etc. So while the Black Death didn't in Britain at least cause a dramatic period of anarchy, it loosened the ties of the feudal system and made movement more free and raised wages massively (with half as many people to harvest but the same amount of grain, you needed to pay the harvesters more; supply and demand) some outraged sources even noted that they demanded a meat meal and ale in addition to their pay.

But there was relatively little chaos (people seemed too traumatized by 50% of people being dead I assume) but instead a gentle assertiveness from the working classes who now realized their labour was in short supply and thus could even save and invest to end up wearing the trappings of Gentlemen themselves.

Laws were passed to try and prevent certain classes wearing certain types of fur and metals, but this was rarely-to-never effectively enforced or punished and is seen as an open attempt to stifle the emergence of class mobility in the wake of the plague.

Juvenalis

You might regard the English 1381 'Peasant's Revolt' as being relevant to your query. The Black Death had reduced the workforce of England, which, while unfortunate for many, allowed the peasant population to use their increased leverage as workers by simply moving to work on land which's owners would pay them more, or threatening to do so if pay and conditions were not improved.

In 1351, however, Parliament passed a law called 'The Statue of Labourers' which banned peasants from doing this, forcing them to work wherever they had been in 1346, for the same wages. This seems to have done little to stop the practice, however; some peasants began to make enough money that they could buy their own land, and live as 'Yeoman farmers', although these people were a minority.

A new religious movement, the 'Lollards', who held that religious authority was held only by scripture (perhaps a predecessor to the Lutheran movements in later history) and not the Pope or anyone else, also took root at this time. This apparent trend of increasing dissent against established authority, coupled with large (flat-rate) poll taxes in 1376-81 to fund King Richard II's wars against France, fomented dissent among English peasants to breaking point. In May 1381, a group of peasants in Essex refused to pay the poll tax, and threw out the tax collector.

This trend caught on in nearby settlements, and the groups united under the leadership of one Wat Tyler from Kent, who marched on the capital, seized the Tower of London, destroying tax records and such. Tyler reportedly urged the peasants to be orderly in their conduct, but looting, drunkenness and murder of foreigners are alleged in the historical record.

In June of that year, the King met with the revolters, but negotiations, which did cause some peasants to return to their homes, did not succeed. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Treasurer were executed by the peasants, and their heads were displayed in London.

What happened next is disputed. A second meeting, outside of London, is recorded as having resulted in the death of Tyler at the hand of London's Lord Mayor (the guy with the big sword on the left). After Tyler's death, the King made more promises, which persuaded the revolters to return home, but these were swiftly reneged on by Richard since they were made under duress. Ringleaders were executed and the system of 'Rule by Manor Lord' restored.

The Black Death did not in itself cause this revolt, having 'finished' decades prior, but it was an important factor nonetheless.

Further reading: Black Death: Political and Social Changes, By Dr Mike Ibeji (2011)

Boenergy

After reading this question I started doing some research on the aftermath of the plague on wikipedia and stumbled upon this image

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Pestilence_spreading_1347-1351_europe.png

And I noticed that Brussels, Warsaw (as well as large regions of present day Poland, Czech Republic, eastern Germany, and western Ukraine), as well as the sub-Alpine region of northern Italy were less affected than the surrounding regions according to this. I can understand the Pyrenees being generally unaffected due to geographic isolation. But, as far as the other regions are concerned, especially the ones lying primarily in the northern european plain, I do not understand the lack of propagation if this map is correct. Could anyone shed light on this?

vonadler

The nobility of Norway was completely eradicated as a class by the plague.

The plague hit Norway very hard, killing between 50 and 75% of the population.

Norway had a law called the alodement law, which meant that you could squat on land. If no-one claimed the land you were squatting on, it became yours after three generations, which was shortened to 30 years just before the plague.

The tenants of the great men and noblity of Norway simply moved to land vacated by those that had died and squatted, becoming self-owning farmers.

The nobility and great men of Norway had to revert to farming their own land for their survival, and thus became self-owning farmers themselves.

It was a revolutionary change in society in Norway, and the peasants benefitted.

Tony_Danza_Macabra

When i lived in Florence, Italy plague time was talked a lot, especially in reference to its rival, Sienna. You can still see effects of the plague today in sienna, especially at the cathedral. At the night of Siena's power, the cathedral was due build a large expansion. It still sits unfinished, for as it was being built, plague entered the city and the population decreased so much the cathedral had no reason to go forward, mostly the money dried up.

My books are in storage. Here is a tourist website me ruining plague. Plague time in Italy is very interesting. I notice this reddit is Northern Europe, England-uk, USA heavy. In the plague readings link are more accounts with refeences to the plague in Italy and the first one was France.

This has a great first hand account of the plague in Sienna, it's effects on the populace, and the incomplete cathedral. It mentions death, numbers dead, effects of this great death. Interesting note it says one of the reason the cathedral did not get built. Last part," 1349. After the great pestilence of the past year each person lived according to his own caprice, and everyone tended to seek pleasure in eating and drinking, hunting, catching birds and gaming. And all money had fallen into the hands of nouveaux riches."

http://www.u.arizona.edu/~afutrell/w%20civ%2002/plaguereadings.html