About 20 million of the 60 million people in Europe at the time died. In all of recorded history, this epidemic has only two rivals: the plague of 542 and the [[flu]] epidemic of 1918. The long term effects affected the economy by causing a long-term labor shortage. [[File:Plague.jpg|thumb|290px]] | About 20 million of the 60 million people in Europe at the time died. In all of recorded history, this epidemic has only two rivals: the plague of 542 and the [[flu]] epidemic of 1918. The long term effects affected the economy by causing a long-term labor shortage. [[File:Plague.jpg|thumb|290px]] |