Withstanding cold and famine in 536 was not the easiest thing. It contributed to the climate disaster, which arose as a result of large volcanic eruptions, had such devastating consequences.
– It must have been a terrible suffering, says Olof Sundqvist, professor of religious history.
Volcanic eruption stopped the sun
When a series of large volcanoes, in the south and north, erupted at the same time, such a large amount of gas particles collected in the atmosphere that the amount of solar energy reaching the earth’s surface was reduced. It led to three years of constant winter.
The cold weather led to half of Scandinavia’s population dying of cold and starvation in just a few years.
See the third episode of The history of Sweden on SVT Play or 19/11 at 21:00 on SVT1.