Historical reconstruction of 14th-century European floods

Researchers from the Technical University of Vienna have identified that the ‘Magdalenenflut’ of 1342, historically viewed as a singular catastrophe, was actually the peak of a multi-year sequence of extreme weather. By analyzing over 1,000 contemporary sources, including chronicles and archaeological evidence, the team reconstructed a ‘string of pearls’ consisting of 16 interconnected flood events occurring between 1341 and 1343.

These repeated inundations affected major rivers such as the Danube, Rhine, Elbe, and Moldau, causing massive economic damage and destroying vital infrastructure like the stone bridge in Prague. The cumulative impact led to thousands of deaths through drowning, disease, and hunger.

Scientists suggest the period of extreme weather may have been driven by volcanic activity in 1340 and 1341, which released sulfur-containing aerosols that altered atmospheric circulation, or potentially by shrinking Arctic sea ice. The study highlights the necessity for modern flood planning to consider the possibility of multiple extreme events occurring in rapid succession.