Waking Ideas Publishing - Health & Life Stories
Five Years of Famine
Written By Danny Nicolas
If you're wishing for too much rain, thinking that it is is better than no rain, look no further than the five years of famine starting in 1315:
"Beginning in 1315, the weather was so rainy that most grains sown in the ground suffered root rot, if they geminated at all. In addition, the lack of sun, higher humidity and cooler temperatures meant water evaporated at a slower rate, which caused salt production to drop. Less salt made it more difficult to preserve meats and that, combined with the losses in agriculture, led to famine by year's end.
When the same happened again in 1316 and then once more in 1317, peasants were forced to eat their seed grain. With little hope of recovery even if weather improved, despair spread across the continent. Frantic to survive, people ate cats, dogs, rats and, according to some historical records, their own children. In places, the announcement of a criminal's execution was seen as an invitation for dinner."
Published on Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 at 6:24 am | Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.
