Review article

The Black Death in Dalmatian towns Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar (1348-1353) - available archival sources and current state of research

Gordan Ravančić ; Croatian institute of history

Abstract

There is a sizeable amount of various sources for the research of the plague epidemics in
the middle of the 14th century, but the Croatian historiography has paid little attention to
this subject, although it has conducted a substantial research of medieval Dalmatian towns.
Historians of medicine researched diseases and epidemics. From their perspective of research
they made a good work especially concerning Dubrovnik. They collected the information
on the available sources, but the lack of medical reports concerning the 1348-1353 plague
epidemics forced the historians of medicine to turn to later epidemics (1360-ies, 1370-ies, in
1391, etc). They have also made a good research of Dubrovnik quarantine (founded in 1377).
Few historians paid attention to the social and economical impact of the 1348 plague epidemic.
It is necessary to improve the research of this subject especially if we take into consideration
that other European historiographies have made a great progress in that area.

Keywords

Middle Ages; Black Death; plague; Dalmatia; Dubrovnik (Raguza); Split (Spalato); Zadar (Zara); primary sources

Hrčak ID:

22244

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/22244

Publication date:

7.6.2004.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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