www.bbc.com
A recent study suggests the “Great Famine” of 1315-1317, which ravaged Europe, might be linked to a volcanic eruption years prior in 1309 or 1310. Researchers analyzed ice core samples from Greenland, finding evidence of a significant eruption. The eruption released massive amounts of sulfur into the atmosphere, cooling the climate and disrupting weather patterns. This likely triggered the persistent heavy rains that destroyed crops and caused widespread famine across Europe, weakening the population and potentially contributing to the subsequent Black Death pandemic. The volcanic eruption, therefore, might be a crucial, underestimated factor behind Europe’s deadliest disasters.
