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What was the Medieval Warm Period (MWP)?
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In the years before the Industrial Revolution, the planet went through significant periods of intense warming and cooling – otherwise known as the Little Ice Age (LIA) and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP).
During the Medieval Warm Period, the world experienced generally warmer climates, which had an impact on agriculture, society, and more.
In this article, we’ll break down what the Medieval Warm Period was, its impact on the world, and how the lessons we can use from then to fight climate change today.
Definition: What is the Medieval Warm Period (MWP)?
Medieval Warm Period (MWP), also referred to as The Medieval Optimum, spanned between the 8th and 12th centuries AD – and is categorised as a time of warmer temperatures.
💡 The warmest time period during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) is estimated to have been 950 to 1045 AD – with several surface temperatures tuning in at around 1 °C warmer than today’s modern temperatures.
In fact, the warmer temperatures are still marked today – especially across the continent of Europe, as many medieval churches, monasteries, and other monumental structures were built as a result of the more pleasant climate.
“ Like the Norse conquests, cathedrals too are a consequence of a global climatic phenomenon, an enduring legacy of the Medieval Warm Period. ― (Brian M. Fagan, The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850). ”
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Key Characteristics of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP)
- Varied Warming Across the Globe – In a similar sense to the Little Ice Age (LIA), warming was not uniform across the globe – as parts of Northern Europe and the North Atlantic were warmer than the Pacific region.
- Agricultural & Cultural Impact – The warmer weather in Europe allowed for agricultural expansion and population growth – such as how in Northern Norway, wheat and oats were grown around Trondheim, Norway and how Vikings took the warmer climate as an opportunity to colonise Greenland.
- Topic of Interest in the Scientific Community – The Medieval Warm Period (MWP) has continued to remain an intriguing and debatable topic in the science community – as information is still being uncovered on how the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) began.
👉The MWP is often compared and contrasted with the Little Ice Age (LIA), which occurred shortly after the Medieval Warm Period and had an opposite effect on the planet – as regions across the world, including North America and Europe, experienced exceptionally frigid temperatures.
The table below will compare and contrast some of the social and economic impacts of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA)
This table compares the social and economic impacts of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA):
| Aspect | Medieval Warm Period (MWP) | Little Ice Age (LIA) |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Improved crop yields; expansion of arable land in Northern Europe. | Crop failures due to colder temperatures; shorter growing seasons. |
| Population | Population growth supported by surplus food production. | Population decline due to famine, disease, and harsher living conditions. |
| Economic Activity | Increased trade and economic stability in many regions. | Economic downturns, increased poverty, and migration pressures. |
| Social Structures | Relative stability and growth of feudal systems. | Social unrest, revolts, and shifts in power dynamics. |
| Settlement Patterns | Expansion into higher altitudes and northern regions. | Abandonment of marginal lands; retreat to lower altitudes. |
| Health | Better nutrition supported by abundant food. | Increased disease prevalence due to malnutrition and cold weather. |
| Cultural Impacts | Growth of art, architecture, and education due to economic prosperity. | Focus on survival; cultural stagnation in many areas. |
Timeline of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP)
The Medieval Warm Period is known to have started around 900CE and ended around 1250CE, right before the Little Ice Age came into play.
Here’s a breakdown of the Medieval Warm Period:
Early Days of the MWP (Around 800–900 CE)
This is around when warmer temperatures were beginning to be more prominent across regions such as Europe, the North Atlantic, and even the Arctic – with temperature in the GISP2 ice core in Greenwald around 2°F (1°C) warmer than temperatures today.
💡 Scientists estimate and have continued to study how the Medieval Warm Period may have started as a result of natural climate variability and additional factors such as solar output and volcanic activity.
Peak Warmth of the MWP (Around 950–1250 CE)
Considered “prime time” for the Medieval Warm Period, this is when temperatures were warmest and when certain regions of the world, such as Europe, benefited from the MWP the most. Primarily, this is the time period when urbanisation boomed, exploration increased, and agriculture thrived.
👉 However, it is important to note that these positive effects were not globally uniform – as some regions such as the Pacific remained stable or even cooler during the MWP, meaning they did not experience the same uptick in population or economic and agricultural spike as European countries did.
Decline of the MWP (1300 CE and Beyond)
Once the transition towards the Little Ice Age began, temperatures began to cool worldwide – as the negative effects of the Little Ice Age became more pronounced alongside decreasing temperatures.
As a result, many cities in Europe experienced famines following a period of fruitful harvests – in addition to the end of Norse colonies in Greenland due to a lack of readily available resources.
How did the Medieval Warm Period impact the world?
The Medieval Warm Period (MWP) had an overall beneficial impact on the world, as crops were plentiful and population doubled in several cities across Europe.
💡 Think of when it’s summer, everyone is by the pool, sipping a cool drink in hand – usually, people are in a better mood and are able to be both more pleasant and productive when the climate is temperate. The same concept applies to the Medieval Warm Period, as both people and the planet experienced temperatures more conducive to profitable prospects.
“ The heyday of the Norse, which lasted roughly from A.D. 800 to about 1200, was not only a byproduct of such social factors as technology, overpopulation and opportunism. Their great conquests and explorations took place during a period of unusually mild and stable weather in northern Europe called the Medieval Warm Period—some of the warmest four centuries of the previous 8,000 years. – (Brian M. Fagan, The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850). ”
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Benefits of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP):
Here are some additional ways that the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) benefited society:
- Cultural Impact – The stable and warmer temperatures allowed for a unique period of art, with intricate, Gothic cathedrals such as Notre-Dame in Paris and the Cathedral of Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter illustrating the conducive working conditions brought about by the Medieval Warm Period. Imagine: it would be a lot harder to carve such complex structures in the freezing cold!
- Agricultural Expansion – The pleasant climates throughout the Medieval Warm Period allowed for European countries with typically cooler climates to yield more productive harvests – allowing for greater population growth and urbanisation, as there was more food to feed a growing community of people.
- Greater Colonisation – The mild temperatures of the Medieval Warm Period inspired people to explore their surroundings, which led to the settlement of Greenland and further exploration of North America, as they were less icy seas and travel was more pleasant with warm temperatures.
- Economic Benefits – The increase of plentiful harvest helped to expand the global economy and develop new trade networks, which especially helped to stabilise the economy in Europe.
Setbacks of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP):
Here are some of the ways the Medieval Warm Period (MWO) may have been a setback for society:
- Increase in Droughts – Although regions of the world such as Europe largely benefitted from warmer temperatures, other regions such as others, like parts of Central America, experienced prolonged droughts – such as with the Great Drought, which occurred from 1276 and 1299 and contributed to the collapse of the Mayan civilization.
- Newfound Pressure – The sudden, temperate climate elicited a medium for greater agricultural production – which set the stage for future challenges in terms of developing resources, as the Little Ice Age (LIA) shortly followed and made it hard to keep up with the newfound success seen by the agricultural industry.
- Unpreparedness for Climate Shifts – As the Little Ice Age followed shortly after the Medieval Warm Period, the MWP made it all the more challenging for society to transition to exceptionally cooler temperatures – which lead to the increased famines, economic challenges, and social injustices during the LIA.
👉 Overall, the Medieval Warm Period was ultimately more beneficial than harmful – but it did make the Little Ice Age more jarring and challenging to accommodate.
How does the Medieval Warm Period compare to present day warming temperatures?
As a whole, the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) did not correlate to the same uniform increase of temperatures worldwide we are witnessing today.
💡 For example, the Pacific experienced cooling during the Medieval Warm Period, whereas today – the Pacific region has had a profound impact on coral reefs and even contributed to the development of toxic algae.
“ Presently available proxy evidence indicates that temperatures at many, but not all, individual locations were higher during the past 25 years than during any period of comparable length since A.D. 900. – (National Academies Press on study regarding climate change and the MWP.) ”
👉 In the end, the warmer temperatures from the Medieval warming period cannot be compared to the skyrocketing temperatures we are experiencing in present day.
What lessons can we learn from the Medieval Warm Period and apply them to fighting climate change today?
There are several lessons to be learned from the Medieval Warm Period, especially in the transition from the MWP to the Little Ice Age and how unpreparedness for a shift in climate took a toll on society.
💡 In fact, this isn’t too different from the phenomenon we are experiencing today – such as continued, unprecedented wildfires, where the world is continuing to adjust to the newfound risks associated with climate change.
Here’s what we should remain mindful of with climate change in present day following the Medieval Warm Period:
- Global Economy is Impacted by Warming Temperatures – The Medieval Warming Period saw a time of lucrative success for the agricultural industry, demonstrating how moderate temperatures could help to stimulate the global economy in place of seeking to ramp up the search and production for finite energy sources.
- Urbanisation is Dictated by Climate Change – Just as we saw during the Medieval Warming Period, warmer temperatures can elicit people to move – and even stop new settlements altogether. This isn’t too dissimilar from what we are currently seeing with the United States and people looking to relocate to states with less risk of experiencing natural disasters.
- Readiness to Adapt is Key – It wasn’t the peak of the Medieval Warming Period that brought upon consequences, but it’s sharp end and unexpected turn into the Little Ice Age that spiked famines and social unrest. This depicts the same scenario as today, where our erratic weather patterns and unpreparedness is what causes the most harm.
Overall, the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) represented a time of warmer temperatures, greater exploration in art and settling in new colonies, and fruitful economic and agricultural production.
What about Greenly?
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Sources
Science Direct https://est.ufba.br/sites/est.ufba.br/files/kim/medievalwarmperiod.pdf
The College of Wooster https://treering.voices.wooster.edu/the-medieval-optimum/
Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00734-4
Japan Times https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2023/08/06/world/climate-change-history/
Copernicus https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/2/99/2006/
Columbia https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2015/12/04/study-undercuts-idea-that-medieval-warm-period-was-global/
Britannica https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Drought?utm_source=chatgpt.com
National Academies https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/11676/chapter/2