How a Volcanic Eruption Helped Unleash the Black Death in Europe in 1347

"“the evidence suggests that a volcanic eruption - or cluster of eruptions - around 1345 caused annual temperatures to drop for consecutive years due to the haze from volcanic ash and gases, which in turn caused crops to fail across the Mediterranean region.”"

"“Desperate Italian city-states thus fell back on trading with grain producers around the Black Sea.”"

"“This climate-driven change in long-distance trade routes helped avoid famine, but in addition to life-saving food, the ships were carrying the deadly bacterium that ultimately caused the Black Death, enabling the first and deadliest wave of the second plague pandemic to gain a foothold in Europe.”"

A volcanic eruption or cluster of eruptions around 1345 lowered annual temperatures for consecutive years due to haze from volcanic ash and gases. Crop failures followed across the Mediterranean region, forcing Italian city-states to rely on grain trade with producers around the Black Sea. This climate-driven change in long-distance trade routes helped prevent famine by supplying food. The same ships also carried the deadly bacterium responsible for the Black Death. The bacterium enabled the first and deadliest wave of the second plague pandemic to establish itself in Europe.

Read at Open Culture