Monthly Archives: November 2023

The Plague on the Silk Road

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ruth

Some time during a world history survey course in high school, or perhaps in a good documentary on the History Channel, you learned that medieval Europeans didn’t realize that rats carried fleas that carried Yersinia pestis bacteria. They were used … Continue reading →

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Building the Alhambra Palace, 1333

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ruth

In 1333, Emir Yusuf began to build the splendid palace that came to be known as The Red Fort, Qalat al-Hamra: the Alhambra. His reign and his son’s spanned most of the 1300s and established the palace that we tour … Continue reading →

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North Africa in the 14th Century

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ruth

North Africa’s Muslim story in the 14th century mostly stars a Moroccan dynasty we call the Marinids, after their founder whose first name was Marin. They were Berbers of the Zenata tribe, locked in long rivalry and conflict with other … Continue reading →

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Europe: Early 1300’s Famine

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Ruth

In Northern Europe, the 14th Century was a time of very short life expectancy. France really had the worst of it, since their king from 1285 to 1314 was Philip IV “the Fair,” one of the worst kings in history. … Continue reading →

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