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The Great Mortality by John Kelly
#1
This is a recent (2006) history of the Black Death (which was actually not called that until about 200 years after the fact). It was very informative, however,
when he discusses the plague in England, he gets into too much detail of when it arrived in which city, followed by a discussion of death rates (which are all conjectural anyway except for where there are records for the clergy). And after that detailed treatment he kind of rushes through Germany so he can instead talk about pogroms against Jews, who were blamed for the plague (or the plague gave a good excuse to steal their goods and money). I was aware of medieval anti-Semitism of course, but didn't know about some of the extermination actions in German and Swiss cities. In fact the large Jewish community in Poland, later largely wiped out by Hitler, was a result of flight from Germany during the Plague. There is also a long afterword where he discusses and refutes recent ideas that the plague was not bubonic plague. Perhaps a bit long but good. I never read Ziegler's book on the plague, so I can't compare.
the hands that guide me are invisible
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#2
Did you read "The Barbary Plague"? Keepin' it local.
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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