Historical Fiction: The Black Death

Historical Fiction
Name
Course Code, Course Name
Department, University
Tutor
Not many people accumulated wealth like Abramo Nicollo of Italy. His trading exploits had made him a rich and respected figure not only in Florence but also in Venice and Milan. His unmatched experience in the world of commerce had earned him a seat in the King’s Counsel as the trade advisor. Italy's cities had prospered during the late Middle Ages since they served as trading centers, connecting Europe to the Byzantine Empire all through to the Muslim world via the Mediterranean Sea (History.com Editors, 2020). Those who worked hard and kept their head up struck fortunes, however, not many people could match Abramo's wealth.
Life in medieval times was much simpler, however, it had its unique set of challenges. Citizens did not wail over slow internet speed, neither were they concerned with stressful election outcomes. Constant interactions would mean unexpected war outbreaks or tyrannical rulers who managed the people with an iron fist. Abramo belonged to the upper caste. To avoid problems, he gave pleasantries to the King and made peace with top military officials.
Life was quite normal and peaceful in Italy. However, fear had gripped Europe because word had it that scores were dying because of an unknown sickness (Walsh, 2015). It was only a matter of time before ships from the Far East could pull into the European ports. Abramo always had a strong sense of fate, and for several months he had been haunted by one specific question: what if the sickness meanders into Europe, specifically Italy? What could happen to his vast business empire and his family? Could they also die prematurely before their time?
During his private moments, Abramo would have almost certainly applied these questions in one way or another to the riddle of his life, searching for an imaginary force or fate that had brought about his childhood memories and guided him to the present. Abramo would have begun such a search by recollecting memories of his childhood in the small village of Vinci, a humble neighborhood in the outskirts of Florence. His father, Alberto Nicollo, was a notary and loyal member of the powerful-bourgeoisie, but because Abramo was born out of wedlock, he was barred from practicing any noble profession or attending a university. Therefore, his schooling was cut short and so as a kid, his life was all about himself. Often he would accompany house servants to trading centers and sometimes assisted in managing his father's wealth. Abramo always harbored the thought of striking it rich at some point in his life. On the flip side, life had taught him some realities that only hard work guaranteed wealth. So when he set out to Florence to pursue business, he only needed luck. And his surname played a critical role in forging connections. Abramo did not want his children to undergo the same problems he experienced. The thought of an epidemic cutting short his life and that of his children was unbearable, to say the least. The decision to establish himself in Florence had changed his life.
Events did not unfold as Abramo imagined. One morning while inspecting one of his ships that had docked in port Florence, he feared for the worst. This was a...