- Great Famine of Estonia (1695-1697)
The Great Famine of Estonia (also "The great starvation") killed about a fifth of Estonian population (70 000 – 75 000 people) in two years.
Climate was unfavorable for crops in
1694 ; summer of1695 was cold and rainy, followed by an early autumn frost that destroyed the summer crops. Cold conditions continued during1696 , and rain fell throughout the summer. Peasants, orphans and the elderly began to die en masse ofstarvation . Melting of snow in spring1697 revealed many corpses. Meanwhile, rich landlords and merchants exported grain toFinland andSweden , where crops also had failed. About a fifth of Estonian population (70,000 to 75,000 people) died during thefamine inSwedish Estonia , which did not end until1698 .References
* [http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.html?menyy_id=95&kateg=43&alam=61&leht=4 1558–1710. Estonia under Swedish rule - Population]
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