Effects of weather and climate on fluctuations of grain prices in southwestern Bohemia, 1725–1824 CE

• DOI: 10.5194/cp-20-1017-2024
• Publication Date: 2024-04-29T08:18:23Z
• Authors: Rudolf Brázdil; Jan Lhoták; Kateřina Chromá; Petr Dobrovolný
• Keywords: variability; volcanic-eruptions; temperature; tambora; documentary; harvests; Environmental protection; Environmental pollution; Environmental sciences; TD172-193.5; signatures; periphery; TD169-171.8; responses; GE1-350; europe

Abstract. Grain prices in early modern Europe reflected the effects of weather and climate on crop yields a complex array societal socio-economic factors. This study presents newly developed series grain for Sušice (southwestern Bohemia, Czech Republic) period 1725–1824 CE, based various archival sources. It aims to analyse their relationships with climate, represented by temperature, precipitation, drought (self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index, scPDSI) reconstructions, as well particular extremes anomalies reported documentary evidence. Wheat, rye, barley, oats showed high mutual correlations. The mean highest during year typically occurred from May July before harvest, while usually declined afterwards. barley were significantly negatively correlated spring temperatures positively scPDSI winter summer. indicates that wetter winters, cooler springs, summers contributed higher prices. extremely years 1746, 1771–1772, 1802–1806, 1816–1817 separately analysed respect patterns other political results obtained discussed relation data uncertainty, factors influencing prices, broader European context.