1374-03-16-Alexandria
Map
Factbox
| Date startStart date of the disease. | 1374-03 | + |
| Date endEnd date of the disease. | 1374-09 | + |
| SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter) | ||
| Date otherOther mentioned dates. | ||
| PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. | Alexandria | |
| RegionHistorical region(s) | ||
| CountryCurrent country | Egypt | |
| RiverMentioned river(s) | ||
| Natural eventMentioned natural event(s) | ||
| PersonMentioned persons(s) | ||
| GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned | ||
| VictimIndication of victims | 7000 + 12.000 absolute | + |
| AnimalMentioned animal(s) | ||
| DiseaseMentioned disease(s) | Fanāʾ, Plague, Wabāʾ, Ṭāʿūn | |
| Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave | ||
| Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease | ||
| LanguageLanguage of the original text | Arabic | |
| KeywordFurther keyword(s) | Agriculture, Children, Drought, Famine, Grain, Mortality, Pice hike, Ṭāʿūn | |
| last edited | 23. 12. 2025 by EpiMedDat-Bot. |
Many people, mainly children, died of plague (ṭāʿūn, fanāʾ, wabāʾ) in Alexandria from Shawwāl 775 H (March 16 to April 14, 1374) to Rabīʿ I 776 H (August 10, 1374 to September 8, 1374). Up to 200 people died per day. In Shawwāl, 7,000 people perished within three days. In 775 H (1373), the Nile had failed to reach the necessary gauge (wafāʾ) during the summer flood, and many fields in Egypt could not be cultivated. Prices for grain and other foodstuffs rose in Egypt. Prices remained high also during the following year (776 H: June 13, 1374 to June 1, 1375) despite a sufficient Nile flood and the availability of grain. People became impoverished and died of hunger due to the rise in prices while grain merchants (khazzān) made huge profits. Finally, people revolted against inflation and famine. Plague came on top of famine. In Alexandria, 17,000 people reportedly died of plague, 12,000 of whom were male and female children. [...]
Text originalOriginal text
