The weather was terrible
Over recent years, extreme weather events have become more commonplace the world over. But all this is nothing compared to what some people had to endure in Medieval Europe. The 12th century was particularly brutal. From 1522 onwards, a so-called ‘Little Ice Age’ swept through the continent. Temperatures plummeted and many people simply froze to death. It’s estimated that around 15% of all the people living in England died during this short, brutal period – and, of course, it was the poor, living in their shabbily-constructed houses, who made up the majority of unfortunate casualties.
But cold temperatures weren’t the end of it. The records show that, between the years 1315 and 1322, England received huge levels of rain. Sometimes it rained for 150 days non-stop! This wasn’t just miserable, it was fatal. Farmers’ fields were almost constantly flooded. They struggled to grow crops. And what could be grown was often covered in mildew. This shortage of supply meant that prices soared, keeping even basic food staples out of the reach of the poorest in society. People starved in huge numbers simply because of this freakish run of bad weather.
According to anthropologist Professor Brian Fagan of the University of California, Santa Barbara, the weather played a huge role in shaping society in Medieval Europe. In his book The Little Ice Age, he explains how freezing temperatures led to ‘bread riots’ among the peasantry. More interestingly, it may also have led to landowners getting even tougher, leading to the rise of despotic leaders and tyrants. The widespread famines caused by the cold and the rain may even have led to witch-hunting. All across Europe, people looked for explanations for the harsh conditions, often pointing the finger of blame at supernatural causes, with innocent women killed as a result.