What volcanic eruption is linked to the Black Death?

A volcanic eruption around 1345 is theorized to have triggered events leading to the Black Death.

How did a volcano cause the Black Death?

The eruption caused climate shifts leading to famine, which prompted grain imports that carried plague fleas.

What evidence links volcanoes to the Black Death?

Clues preserved in tree rings suggest a volcanic eruption caused a climate shock preceding the plague.

Home / Science / Did a Volcano Trigger Europe's Deadliest Plague?

Did a Volcano Trigger Europe's Deadliest Plague?

4 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Volcanic eruption around 1345 may have initiated the Black Death.
Tree rings suggest eruption caused climate shock and poor harvests.
Imported grain from Black Sea regions brought plague to Europe.

Did a Volcano Trigger Europe's Deadliest Plague?

New research suggests a volcanic eruption occurring around the year 1345 may have been the catalyst for Europe's most devastating pandemic, the Black Death.

Evidence from tree rings indicates that the eruption triggered a significant climate shock, resulting in drastically reduced temperatures and subsequent agricultural failures across the continent.

This dire situation forced populous Italian city-states to seek grain supplies from regions bordering the Black Sea. It is hypothesized that these imports inadvertently carried plague-infested fleas, thereby introducing the deadly disease to medieval Europe.

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