when was the bubonic plague

The bubonic plague (often called the Black Death) is most famously associated with a massive pandemic in Europe from about 1347 to 1351.

Key dates

• First major European pandemic: 1347–1351, killing tens of millions in Europe.

• Earlier plague pandemic: the Plague of Justinian, starting around 541 CE and recurring into the 8th century.

• Later “third pandemic”: began in China in the 1850s and spread globally through the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Quick timeline

• 541 CE: Plague of Justinian hits Constantinople and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.

• 1347: Black Death enters Europe via Mediterranean ports (after reaching the Crimean port of Kaffa).

• 1348–1350: Rapid spread through most of Europe, reaching places like Italy, France, Spain, England, and Germany.

• 1855 onwards: Third pandemic begins in Yunnan, China, spreading to parts of Asia, then worldwide.

In short

When people ask “when was the bubonic plague,” they usually mean the Black Death of 1347–1351, but plague outbreaks actually span from late antiquity (541 CE) through multiple waves into the modern era.