A History of Bubonic Plague | The Black Death & Quarantining with The Decameron

A History of Bubonic Plague | The Black Death & Quarantining with The Decameron

Author: Lindsay Holiday September 1, 2026 Duration: 31:29
“How many valiant men, how many fair ladies, how many sprightly youths, … breakfasted in the morning with their kinsfolk, comrades and friends, and that same night supped with their ancestors in the other world.” Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron Between 1346 and 1353 a horrifying pestilence burned across Central Asia, North Africa and Europe. The infected, covered in bubos and burning with fever, died in agony, with no family left to care for them or priest to pray for their souls. In some areas 50% of the population was wiped out, leaving whole villages deserted with no one to bury the dead. Those who were lucky enough to be healthy, and have the means to do so, escaped disease riddled cities for the fresh, miasma-free air of the countryside. In the midst of this horror, Florentine Giovanni Boccaccio, wrote his seminal work, The Decameron, about 10 young people who flee the plague for a lavish, sexy Tuscan Villa vacation and to hopefully not die. This medieval masterpiece has recently been turned into a darkly hilarious Netflix series, which further explores the class and gender dynamics of the 14th century in a way that anyone who recently lived through a world-wide pandemic can relate to. Today lets explore the history and science behind the Black death; the plague pandemics that came before and after it, and find out if this horrendous disease is still a risk today. Plus we’ll find out what the Decameron has to say about life, love, sex, and surviving the plague in 1348 and today. Music: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Public Domain, Performed by Kevin MacLeod Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, Lindsay Holiday pours a fresh cup and settles in to share the fascinating, often overlooked tales from our past. History Tea Time is built on the idea that history is best served with a generous helping of personality and a focus on the compelling narratives that textbooks tend to skip. Lindsay’s approach feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend who has a real knack for digging up the juiciest details. While you’ll often find episodes delving into the lives of queens and royalty from across the globe, there’s a consistent spotlight on women’s history, bringing forward the stories of figures who shaped the world from behind the throne or beyond the traditional spotlight. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering a secret side of the past, one where the human drama, ambitions, and scandals are given center stage. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific story, told with clarity and a genuine enthusiasm that makes even the most complex historical moments accessible and utterly engaging. If you’ve ever wanted the real, unvarnished, and truly interesting stories behind the names and dates, this is your weekly invitation to listen in.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

History Tea Time
Podcast Episodes
Potential British Monarchs REJECTED for George I [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:52
In 1700 the Stuart Dynasty was out of heirs, save one, Princess Anne. Parliament studied the royal family tree to determine who was next in line. The problem was they were all catholic. The succession skipped over 41 clo…
Anne, Queen of Great Britain & Ireland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:19
Queen Anne was the younger sister of Mary II, half of England’s only joint monarchy, William and Mary. When they died, Anne had no interest in sharing the throne with her husband. She was the first married Queen of Engla…
Bonus! Spilling the Tea (on Tea), with You’re Dead To Me! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:53
This week, we're bringing you a special teaser of You're Dead To Me, the BBC's hit comedy podcast that takes history seriously – on a topic close to our hearts, Tea! In this episode, host Greg Jenner is joined by histori…
Mary II, Queen of England, Scotland, & Ireland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:19
Queen Mary II was 1/2 of England’s only joint monarchy, and half of a pair of powerful sister Queens. She betrayed her father and took his throne with the support of her Dutch husband, William of Orange. She preferred to…
Royals who Died of Bubonic Plague [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:09
As the great pestilence burned across central Asia, north Africa and Europe, roughly 100 million people lost their lives in the worst pandemic in human history. More than half of the populations of Florence, Paris and Lo…
Lady Godiva, Medieval Nude Equestrian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:05
Lovers of folklore and Chocolate will have heard of the famous Lady Godiva, who rode her horse naked through the streets of Coventry with only her golden hair to preserve her modesty. And of peeping Tom, the only man in…
Anne Boleyn's Sister & Brother [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:32
Anne Boleyn is one of the most famous women in history. Her meteoric rise from minor noble to Queen of England, and even swifter downfall to the block in the tower of London is the stuff of legend and the focus of too ma…
Börte, Genghis Khan’s Beloved Empress [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:01
Genghis Khan is famous for launching the conquest of the largest contiguous empire the world has ever seen. And for fathering enough children that today nearly every person of Asian decent carries his DNA. But he might n…