1348
Black Death sweeps Florence
By June the streets of Florence stank of corpses no one would bury.
Plague reaches Mecca and the hajj caravans
Ibn Battuta, back in Damascus and observing the pestilence, reported that two thousand people a day were dying in the city.
Clement VI defends Jews against pogroms
As panicked Christians blamed Jews for poisoning wells and lit pyres from Strasbourg to Barcelona, the Avignon pope issued bulls forbidding their persecution.
Charles IV founds Charles University in Prague
Modeled on Paris, the new studium generale was the first university in Central Europe, attracting scholars from across the German-speaking lands.
Earthquake destroys Friuli
On a winter morning a massive quake leveled towns from Villach to Cividale, toppling church towers and burying entire neighborhoods.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1348?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1348. The most significant is Black Death sweeps Florence: By June the streets of Florence stank of corpses no one would bury. Boccaccio watched neighbors throw their own children out of windows.
What era was 1348 part of?
1348 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1348?
The events from 1348 span Europe and Middle East.