Famines in Czech lands
Encyclopedia
This article discusses historical famine
s that have occurred in the area of today's Czech Republic
. Various known famines occurred throughout Czech lands between 1272 and 1847. Excessive rain, cold temperatures, hail, warfare, and disease are the main causes of famines in Czech lands.
The first known famine in Czech lands occurred from 1272 until 1282 and was caused by warfare and weather, which decreased the volume of crops harvested in the region. This first instance of famine caught inhabitants off guard and caused 600,000 deaths, mostly through endemic plagues, although there were some occurrences of cannibalism. Local famines also transpired in Czech regions in 1318, caused by warfare; and then in 1361 and 1366, caused by crop shortage and failures. The years 1432 through 1434 were known as the hungry years in Czech lands as they faced climatic issues for the duration of the Hussite Wars
. The Hussite Wars were fought in Bohemia
between the followers of the executed Jan Hus
, a renowned contributor to the Protestant movement. This set of wars was one of the first known military actions fought with hand-held gunpowder weapons. The final two years of this fourteen-year set of wars sparked an increase in the price of grain. At one point grain was six times the price it had been prior to the wars. People in Czech lands were unable to afford grain until the price returned to an affordable rate.
Around 1560 a decrease in temperature resulted in another disappointing harvest. A famine following the War of the Austrian Succession
in 1748 killed 1200 people in Doksy
, a city in northern Czech lands. The next recorded famine in Czech lands was the Great Famine
, which lasted from 1770 until 1771. The cause of the Great Famine was a disease of grain monoculture and heavy rains. The Great Famine killed twelve percent of Czech lands’ population, up to 500,000 inhabitants, and radicalized countrysides leading to peasant uprisings. This famine ended when Czech lands imported potatoes, increasing potato production in the future. The last famine in Czech lands was in Czech Silesia during 1847. This famine was caused by a potato disease and led to the deaths of over 20,000 people.
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
s that have occurred in the area of today's Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. Various known famines occurred throughout Czech lands between 1272 and 1847. Excessive rain, cold temperatures, hail, warfare, and disease are the main causes of famines in Czech lands.
The first known famine in Czech lands occurred from 1272 until 1282 and was caused by warfare and weather, which decreased the volume of crops harvested in the region. This first instance of famine caught inhabitants off guard and caused 600,000 deaths, mostly through endemic plagues, although there were some occurrences of cannibalism. Local famines also transpired in Czech regions in 1318, caused by warfare; and then in 1361 and 1366, caused by crop shortage and failures. The years 1432 through 1434 were known as the hungry years in Czech lands as they faced climatic issues for the duration of the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. The Hussite Wars were fought in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
between the followers of the executed Jan Hus
Jan Hus
Jan Hus , often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague...
, a renowned contributor to the Protestant movement. This set of wars was one of the first known military actions fought with hand-held gunpowder weapons. The final two years of this fourteen-year set of wars sparked an increase in the price of grain. At one point grain was six times the price it had been prior to the wars. People in Czech lands were unable to afford grain until the price returned to an affordable rate.
Around 1560 a decrease in temperature resulted in another disappointing harvest. A famine following the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
in 1748 killed 1200 people in Doksy
Doksy
Doksy is a town in the Czech Republic. It has about 5,000 inhabitants. It lies on the shores of Máchovo jezero , so it is a summer vacation resort. Surroundings are densely forested and the Bezděz Castle atop the same-name mountain dominates the local panorama...
, a city in northern Czech lands. The next recorded famine in Czech lands was the Great Famine
Great Famine
Great Famine may refer to any of several historical famines:* The Great Famine of 1315–1317 in northern Europe* The Great India Famine of 1344-1345...
, which lasted from 1770 until 1771. The cause of the Great Famine was a disease of grain monoculture and heavy rains. The Great Famine killed twelve percent of Czech lands’ population, up to 500,000 inhabitants, and radicalized countrysides leading to peasant uprisings. This famine ended when Czech lands imported potatoes, increasing potato production in the future. The last famine in Czech lands was in Czech Silesia during 1847. This famine was caused by a potato disease and led to the deaths of over 20,000 people.