1348-06-29-Damascus

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Date startStart date of the disease.	1348-06-29 Saturday	+
Date endEnd date of the disease.	1348-07-28 Sunday	+
SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter)
Date otherOther mentioned dates.
PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease.	Damascus, Syria
RegionHistorical region(s)
CountryCurrent country
RiverMentioned river(s)
Natural eventMentioned natural event(s)
PersonMentioned persons(s)
GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned	Religious minorities, Elites, Common people
VictimIndication of victims	200 per day	+
AnimalMentioned animal(s)
DiseaseMentioned disease(s)	Plague
Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave	Black Death (1347–1353)
Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease
LanguageLanguage of the original text	Arabic
KeywordFurther keyword(s)	Mortality, Poor people, Prayers, Prayers of supplication, Fasting, Funeral, Taxes, wabāʾ
last edited	21. 11. 2025 by Admin.

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The number of plague deaths in Damascus increased in the month of Rabīʿ II 749 H (June 29–July 28, 1348). More than 200 people died per day, and the removal of the dead bodies was delayed. Poor people suffered the highest losses. On July 3, 1348, the Friday preacher prescribed to recite prayers and supplications asking for the plague to abate. The abolition of taxes (ḍamān) on funeral services by the governor of Syria (nāʾib al-salṭana) Sayf al-Dīn Arghūn-Shāh al-Nāṣirī was proclaimed on July 14. On July 21, it was announced that the inhabitants of Damascus should fast for three days, and on day four abase themselves before God at the suburban Mosque of the Footprint (Qadam) and implore him to end the plague; afterwards, people set out for the desert to recite prayers of supplication, including Jews, Christians, and Samaritans, high and low, etc.

Text originalOriginal text

Ibn Kathīr - Al-Bidāya wa-l-nihāya 1997-1999, vol. 18 (1998), pp. 503-504 1

Text translationEnglish translation of the text

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