What was the devastating global epidemic of bubonic plague that struck Europe and Asia in the 14th century called?

The global epidemic that ravaged Europe and Asia in the 14th century is widely known as the Black Death. This pandemic had a profound impact, leading to the deaths of an estimated 25 to 30 million people in Europe alone, which was about one-third of the continent's population at the time. The term "Black Death" is believed to refer to the dark discoloration of the skin that afflicted some victims of the disease, associated with the bubonic form of the plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, transmitted through fleas and rodents.

The significance of the Black Death extends beyond its immediate mortality rates, as it also catalyzed major social, economic, and cultural transformations in Europe. The overwhelming loss of life led to labor shortages, which in turn increased the bargaining power of surviving workers and contributed to the decline of the feudal system.

In contrast to the other options, The Great Plague refers to different plague outbreaks, often denoting the bubonic plague occurring later in history, while the Spanish Flu was a 20th-century influenza pandemic unrelated to the plague. Typhus is a separate disease caused by rickettsial bacteria, also distinct from the bubonic plague and its effects. Understanding these