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The Black Death (Black or Bubonic Plague) was a wide pandemic event that occurred from 1346–1353 in the Old World, affecting primarily Asia and Europe. It is estimated to have killed more than 30% of Europe's population, while also having a devastating impact on Asian cultures. It is one of the most devastating pandemics in human history and fundamentally changed the course of human events due to the high death rates in many countries and regions. It also remained in societies, reoccurring frequently between the 14-20th centuries in different regions, as the plague never completely diedfaded away. The effects of the Black Death are still felt today, as places had to evolve to much lower populations.

The Black Death had substantially different impact impacts on populations and exacerbated social change in many regions. In Western Europe, where populations were generally higher prior to the Black Death, the reduction of population made the remaining peasants and workers better able to negotiate higher wages (Figure 1). Revolts and rebellions occurred after the plague, but it uliatemly ultimately helped lead to major social changes. It also led to the death of some of the nobility. Law changes to inheritance, allowing women in particular to inherit, led to gradual gender changes and increasing power for women in Europe in particular. Greater Serfs also increased their power to serfs as their wages went up also helped, in . In the long-term, to finally finish the plague helped stamp out serfdom in Western Europe. In the immediate sense, serfs and nobility often fought in the years after the Black Death, but the lack of productivity in farms did help to give more powers to peasants in Western Europe. In effect, the Black Death helped to liberate societies that and helped to set the stage for the Renaissance revival that occurred in Europe in the century after the Black Death.<ref>For more on Western Europe after the Black Death, see: Herlihy, David, and Samuel Kline Cohn. 1997. <i>The Black Death and the Transformation of the West.</i> Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.</ref>

In Eastern Europe, it had the opposite effect of strengthening serfdom. In this case, population densities were much lower, thus revolts that followed the Black Death were less common. Upper classes simply reinforced their power through laws that tied workers to land and limited their wages and power. Revolts by the peasants only became a major problem in the 16th through the 19th centuries, where only during the 1800s was serfdom removed lingered longer in Eastern Europeand did not disappear until the 19th Century.<ref>For more on the effects in Eastern Europe, see: Ziegler, Philip. 2010. <i>The Black Death.</i> Stroud: The History Press Ltd, pg. 85</ref>

While two different types of European economic and political systems began to emerge after the Black Death, the outcome in the Middle East a was very different outcome occurred. First, the cities that were very populated, such as Cairo and Mosul, diminished greatly in populationlost huge number of people, leading to a de-urbanization in the Near East that took a long time to recover from. In Egypt, large areas along the Nile became abandoned, contributing to economic decline there that lasted probably until the 19th century. In effect, the Middle East became far weaker politically and economically after the Black Death. In fact, it was not until the 20th century that some cities and regions in the Middle East reached their Medieval population levels. In east Asia, rebellions eventually broke out against the Mogul ruling dynasty in China (Yüan dynasty). This was aggravated by the plague, where ultimately China regained its independence. The weakening of the Monguls was one of the great results of the Black Death.<ref>For more on changes in Asia due to the Black Death, see: McCracken, Kevin, and David R. Phillips. 2012. <i>Global Health: An Introduction to Current and Future Trends.</i> Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge, pg. 61. </ref>

In Indiaeast Asia, rebellions eventually broke out against the Delhi Sultanate collapsed soon after Mogul ruling dynasty in China (Yüan dynasty). This was aggravated by the plague, suggesting the uproar caused may have catalyzed this collapsewhere ultimately China regained its independence. In Russia, The weakening of the Golden Horde Monguls was one of the Mongols diminished in power, although it did rise briefly again in the late 1300s. In effect, it also allowed a long-term weakening that eventually allowed Russian-based dynasties to arise that eventually led to the succession great results of the Romanov dynasty to rule RussiaBlack Death.<ref>For more on the rulers of India and Russia after changes in Asia due to the Black Death, see: BenedictowMcCracken, Kevin, Ole Jørgenand David R. 2006Phillips. 2012. <i>The Black DeathGlobal Health: 1346 - 1353 ; the Complete HistoryAn Introduction to Current and Future Trends.</i> Repr. in paperback. WoodbridgeAbingdon, Oxon ; New York: Boydell PressRoutledge, pg. 5161.</ref>

In India, the Delhi Sultanate collapsed soon after the plague, suggesting the uproar from the plague may have catalyzed this collapse. In Russia, the Golden Horde of the Mongols diminished in power, although it did rise briefly again in the late 1300s. In effect, it also allowed a long-term weakening that eventually allowed Russian-based dynasties to arise that eventually led to the succession of the Romanov dynasty to rule Russia.<ref>For more on the rulers of India and Russia after the Black Death, see: Benedictow, Ole Jørgen. 2006. <i>The Black Death: 1346 - 1353 ; the Complete History.</i> Repr. in paperback. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, pg. 51.</ref> The Black Death also caused many changes fundamentally changed to society. In an outgrowth of the bubonic plague, including people began openly challenging religious authorities. This could have led to the beginning of Some Europeans began questioning of the Catholic Church . It is not an accident that help lead to the reformation Reformation began after the outbreak of these plagues in the 16th century (Figure 2). Key Other key social changes included an increased understanding of quarantine and its importance in medicine. This now began to be a common practice after the rise of the Black Death plague. Genetic diversity may have also diminished in parts of Asia and Europe, where it could have helped surviving populations develop better immunity (through genetic adaptation).<ref>For more on population changes after the Black Death, see: Meneely, Philip. 2017. Genetics: Genes, Genomes, and Evolution. New York, NY: Oxford University Press., pg. 172.</ref>

Politically, the collapse of the great Mongol Empire and its states is the most obvious resultof the plague. Other states, such as the Byzantine Empire, could have been were weakened by plague and ultimately collapsed due to the Black Deathplayed a role in their collapse. Thus, one possibility is that the Mongol states could have continued to rule longer, perhaps allowing them to retain great power in many regions. Politically, this could have shaped Russia and China, in particular, differently, where Mongol rulers could have ruled longer and may potentially have had a more significantly changed significant impact in the political and social order in those societies. In the Middle East, the presence of the Mongol states and Byzantine Empire could have resulted in making it harder for Turkic groups to migrate and establish power in the region. The Ottoman Empire may have been was one of the beneficiaries of the Black Death, which could have meant that they because it significantly weakened the Middle East. Ottoman's influence may have not been as significant be dramatically lessened in Middle East affairs otherwisethe absence of the Black Death. This could have also meant that wide areas of Anatolia may have remained Christian for much longer and perhaps would have lingered to centuries later at least if not until todayto the present.<ref>For more on the weakening of the Byzantines and rise of the Ottomans, see: Ayalon, Yaron. 2014. Natural Disasters in the Ottoman Empire: Plague, Famine, and Other Misfortunes. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, pg. 48.</ref>

In Africa, the major kingdom of Mali was not affected directly by the Black Death, but trade to it dried up as the Silk Road and other trade routes suffered due to declining withered as tradedeclined. This led to its ultimate collapse. With the decline of the Mali kingdom, it led to political fragmentation in West Africa, possibly weakening that part of the continent for centuries due to political turmoil. Thus, we may have seen a larger and more politically united parts of Africa if the Black Death did not occur, potentially making it harder for Europeans centuries later to exploit the continent for the slave trade.<ref>For more on the kingdom of Mali and the Black Death, see: Ramen, Fred. 2002. <i>Sleeping Sickness and Other Parasitic Tropical Diseases.</i> 1st ed. Epidemics. New York: Rosen.</ref>

In Europe, serfdom may have continued in Western Europe for longer periods, limiting or delaying the eventual development of political revolutions that occurred centuries later. The Renaissance may have begun later than it otherwise may have if the Black Death did not occur. The gradual increasing increase of individual rights in Western Europe helped to ultimately create the pushed states towards democratic processes in Western states today. In effect, it is possible this the democratization of Western Europe could have been delayed stalled if the Black Death did had not occur. While in Eastern Europe, including Russia, serfdom became well entrenched and lasted until the 19th century. It is possible population growth could have led to more rapid changes to the serfdom institution, leading to its earlier downfall than it otherwise may have been. Eastern European states, where individual liberties evolved more slowly, could have developed differently if the Black Death did not weaken the peasant population by so much.<ref>For serfdom in Russia, see: Dennison, T. K. 2014. <i>The Institutional Framework of Russian Serfdom.</i> Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.</ref>