8. Climate Change May Have Caused The Widespread Death
Climate change during the beginning of the 14th century may have been the cause of the massive death toll. The High Middle Ages was a time of growth and prosperity. New agricultural techniques led to a rise in population which in turn led to more fuel and food demands. The inflation in the environment led to a strain on the lands, so people found new lands to cultivate. Newly cultivated lands triggered more population growth, and so on. That changed in the early 1300s.
During the early 1300s, the climate turned colder and wetter. This resulted in earlier frosts and floods. Primary sources spoke of great famines in 1316 and 1317. There were also reports that the Baltic Sea froze over in 1306 and 1316. With the lack of food, people were malnourished and anyone born during that time had a weaker immune system. Our immune system develops during childhood so these people were more susceptible to diseases. This was the same generation years later that became adults during the Black Death. If the climate change didn’t spark famine, and in turn weaker immune systems, more people may have survived.