Original scientific paper
Plague in Požega and Požega-Basin in 1739
Robert Skenderović
Abstract
In 1739, Slavonia was struck by the last plague epidemics. The suburbs of Osijek, the town of Požega and a number of villages in Požega Basin were struck most severely. The plague epidemics lasted seven months and more than a half of the residents from this area succumbed to it. The key mechanism against the plague was the establishment of cordons sanitaire. Still, a whole range of cordons that were established on the way to Syrmia, Banat and Bachka could not prevent the plague from spreading through Slavonia. Although the epidemics killed more than a half of its residents, the community of Požega succeeded in compensating for the demographical loss surprisingly quickly. As early as in the first year following the epidemics a large-scale immigration took place and the birth-rate increased dramatically, which made it possible for the town to make up for its lost citizens in an incredibly short period of time.
Keywords
Požega; Požeška kotlina (Basin of Požega); plague; epidemic of 1739; demographic losses; recovery
Hrčak ID:
19353
URI
Publication date:
10.11.2003.
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