Could the plucked backside of a chicken really cure the plague? If that question has ever crossed your mind, then this episode is for you. Today, we’re diving into the Black Death - where it originated, how it tore across continents at terrifying speed, and the gruesome symptoms it unleashed. We're joined by Helen Carr, author of 'Sceptred Isle', a new history of the 14th century. She takes us through this tale of a deadly pandemic, bizarre cures, and a continent in crisis… 0:00 Introduction: The Grizzliest Incident in European History 1:20 Europe on the Eve of the Black Death: The Calamitous 14th Century 3:09 Medieval Politics and State Response to Pestilence 5:47 The State of Medieval Medicine and Humoral Theory 6:33 The True Cause: Yersinia pestis and the Mongol Hordes 10:49 The Plague Arrives in Europe: Italy and the Trade Routes 12:41 How to Survive the Black Death: Quarantine and Escape 17:00 Doomed Medieval Cures: Emeralds, Snakes, and the Chicken's Bottom 20:06 Religious Responses to God's Wrath: Penitence and Flagellants 22:24 The Plague Hits England: Dorset, Bristol, and the Brutal Spike 29:48 How the Black Death Changed the World and Society Forever Produced by Mariana Des Forges, James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, edited by Matthew Wilson & the channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. You can find more Dan Snow's History Hit on the audio podcast here: https://podfollow.com/dan-snows-history-hit/view Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #DanSnowsHistoryHit #HistoryPodcast #Medieval