Naples Plague

The Naples Plague refers to a plague in Italy between 1656–1658 that nearly eradicated the population of Naples. The plague epidemic affected mostly central and southern Italy, killing up to 1,250,000 people throughout the Kingdom of Naples according to some estimates. In Naples alone, approximately 150,000–200,000 people died in 1656 due to the plague, accounting for more than half of the population. The epidemic made severe impact on the economic and social structure of Naples as well as some other affected areas.