Grand Famine reaches Russia

1315

The same cold wet weather that devastated western European harvests crippled Russian grain fields. Novgorod chronicles record bark-bread, infanticide, and cannibalism among desperate peasants. Entire villages starved. The coincidence of famine and Mongol tribute demands - the khans cared nothing for failed harvests - would feed the resentments that eventually loosened the Horde's grip on the Russian princes.