What is The Medieval Warm Period?
The Medieval Warm Period, also known as the Medieval Climate Anomaly, was a period of relatively warm climate in the North Atlantic region that occurred between the 9th and 13th centuries, approximately from 950 to 1250 AD.
During this period, temperatures were 0.5 to 1°C higher than the average temperatures during the preceding and following centuries.
The Medieval Warm Period was characterized by milder winters, longer growing seasons, and increased agricultural productivity in many parts of Europe, North America, and Asia. The warmer climate also enabled the Vikings to expand their settlements into Greenland and North America.
The causes of the Medieval Warm Period are still debated among scientists, but several factors may have contributed, including increased solar radiation, decreased volcanic activity, and changes in ocean currents.
The Medieval Warm Period was followed by a period of cooling known as the Little Ice Age, which lasted from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
When was the Medieval Warm Period?
The Medieval Warm Period occurred approximately between the 9th and 13th centuries, with its peak temperatures occurring from about 950 to 1250 AD. However, the exact start and end dates of the Medieval Warm Period can vary slightly depending on the region being studied and the methods used to reconstruct past climate data.
What are the Top 10 Events of the Medieval Warm Period?
Here are ten notable events that occurred during the Medieval Warm Period:
- Expansion of Viking settlements: The warmer climate allowed the Vikings to expand their settlements into Greenland and North America during the 10th and 11th centuries.
- Building of European cathedrals: The mild climate allowed for more construction during the 12th and 13th centuries, leading to the building of many great cathedrals throughout Europe, such as Notre-Dame and Chartres.
- Height of the Byzantine Empire: The warmer climate allowed for increased agricultural productivity in the Byzantine Empire during the 10th and 11th centuries, leading to a period of economic and cultural prosperity.
- Mongol Empire expansion: The warmer climate allowed for increased grassland productivity, which enabled the Mongol Empire to expand its territory during the 12th and 13th centuries.
- Shift in Norse diet: The warmer climate led to a shift in the diet of the Norse from a reliance on seafood to agriculture during the 9th and 10th centuries.
- Height of the Ancestral Puebloan culture: The warmer climate allowed for increased agricultural productivity in the southwestern United States, leading to the height of the Ancestral Puebloan culture during the 12th and 13th centuries.
- Expansion of the Inca Empire: The warmer climate allowed for increased agricultural productivity in the Andean region, which enabled the Inca Empire to expand during the 11th and 12th centuries.
- Growth of the Cahokia civilization: The warmer climate allowed for increased agricultural productivity in the Mississippi River valley, leading to the growth of the Cahokia civilization during the 11th and 12th centuries.
- Growth of the Great Zimbabwe Empire: The warmer climate allowed for increased agricultural productivity in southern Africa, leading to the growth of the Great Zimbabwe Empire during the 11th and 12th centuries.
- Height of the Khmer Empire: The warmer climate allowed for increased agricultural productivity in Southeast Asia, leading to the height of the Khmer Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries.
