Great Famine of 1315–1317
gigatos | May 31, 2022
Summary
The Great Famine of 1315-1317 (occasionally dated as 1315-1322) was the first in a series of large-scale crises to hit Europe in the early 14th century. Most of Europe (extending as far east as Russia and as far south as Italy) was affected. The famine caused numerous deaths over an extended number of years and marked a clear end to the period of growth and prosperity of the 11th-13th centuries.
During the Medieval Warm Period (the period before 1300), Europe”s population exploded compared to earlier eras, reaching levels not reached in some places until the 19th century – indeed, parts of rural France today are still less populated than in the early 14th century. However, wheat production ratios, the number of seeds one could eat per seed planted, have been falling since 1280, and food prices have been rising. After favourable harvests, the ratio could be as high as 7:1, but after unfavourable harvests it was as high as 2:1 – that is, for every seed planted, two seeds were harvested, one for next year”s seed and one for food. By comparison, modern agriculture has a ratio of 30:1 or more.
The onset of the Great Famine coincided with the end of the Medieval Warm Period. Between 1310 and 1330, northern Europe experienced some of the worst and longest periods of bad weather in the entire Middle Ages, characterised by severe winters and cold rainy summers. The Great Famine may also have been caused by a volcanic event, perhaps that of Mount Tarawera in New Zealand, which lasted about five years.
Changing weather patterns, the inefficiency of medieval governments in managing crises, and population levels at historically high levels created a time when there was no room for error when it came to food production.
A number of documented incidents show the extent of the famine. Edward II of England stopped at St Albans on 10 August 1315 and had difficulty finding bread for himself and his entourage; it was a rare occasion when the King of England was unable to eat. The French, under Louis X, attempted to invade Flanders, but in the lowlands of Holland, the fields were waterlogged and the army became so hampered that they were forced to retreat, burning their supplies where they left them, unable to carry them further.
The Great Famine is notable for the number of people who died, the vast geographical area affected, its length, and its lasting consequences.
Also read, biographies – Manuel da Nóbrega
Church
In a society whose final recourse for almost all problems was religion, and Roman Catholicism was the only tolerated Christian faith, no amount of prayer seemed effective against the root causes of famine. This undermined the institutional authority of the Roman Catholic Church and helped lay the groundwork for subsequent movements that were deemed heretical by the Roman Catholic Church because they opposed the papacy and blamed the perceived failure of prayer on corruption and doctrinal errors within the Roman Catholic Church.
Famine has led to a sharp rise in crime, even among those not normally inclined to criminal activity, as people will resort to any means to feed themselves or their families. Over the next few decades, after the famine, Europe became harsher and more violent; it became an even less friendly place than in the 12th and 13th centuries. This could be seen in all segments of society, perhaps most strikingly in the way warfare was fought in the 14th century, during the 100 Years” War, when chivalry ended, as opposed to the 12th and 13th centuries, when nobles were more likely to die in jousting accidents than on the battlefield.
Also read, biographies – Sonni Ali
Population
The Great Famine marked a clear end to an unprecedented period of population growth that began around 1050. Although some people today believe that growth had already slowed down for decades, the famine was undoubtedly a clear end to high population growth. The Great Famine would later have consequences for future events in the 14th century, such as the Black Death, when an already weakened population would be hit again.
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