Whitby Abbey in the snow – the shell of the 13th-century church.
How the cold 1430s led to famine and disease
While searching through historical archives to find out more about the 15th-century climate of what is now Belgium, northern France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, Chantal Camenisch noticed something odd. "I realized that there was something extraordinary going on regarding the climate during the 1430s," says the historian from the University of Bern in Switzerland.
Compared with other decades of the last millennium, many of the 1430s' winters and some springs were extremely cold in the Low Countries, as well as in other parts of Europe. In the winter of 1432-33, people in Scotland had to use fire to melt wine in bottles before drinking it. In central Europe, many rivers and lakes froze over. In the usually mild regions of southern France, northern and central Italy, some winters lasted until April, often with late frosts. This affected food production and food prices in many parts of Europe. "For the people, it meant that they were suffering from hunger, they were sick and many of them died," says Camenisch.
Comment: If all had gone according to plan, Russia would now be a de facto colony, to be exploited as a source of raw materials for the rapacious West, and expected to be grateful for the blessings of 'democracy'. Fortunately Putin and those of like mind felt the people of Russia didn't deserve a fate modern serfdom. Russia is an old, proud nation now re-taking its place in the world.