Caffa 1346: Corpses Over the Wall and a Plague That Sailed to Europe

In 1346, the port city of Caffa on the Black Sea was under siege by the Golden Horde. Caffa was a Genoese trading colony, now Feodosia in Crimea. Outside the walls, the besieging army was suffering from a disease that caused fever, swollen lymph nodes and rapid death. Inside, residents were hungry and could not simply leave the harbour.

In 1346, the port city of Caffa on the Black Sea was under siege by the Golden Horde. Caffa was a Genoese trading colony, now Feodosia in Crimea. Outside the walls, the besieging army was suffering from a disease that caused fever, swollen lymph nodes and rapid death. Inside, residents were hungry and could not simply leave the harbour.

In 1346, the port city of Caffa on the Black Sea was under siege by the Golden Horde. Caffa was a Genoese trading colony, now Feodosia in Crimea. Outside the walls, the besieging army was suffering from a disease that caused fever, swollen lymph nodes and rapid death. Inside, residents were hungry and could not simply leave the harbour.

In 1346, the port city of Caffa on the Black Sea was under siege by the Golden Horde. Caffa was a Genoese trading colony, now Feodosia in Crimea. Outside the walls, the besieging army was suffering from a disease that caused fever, swollen lymph nodes and rapid death. Inside, residents were hungry and could not simply leave the harbour.