Saint’s Lives and Storm Surges: Investigating Climate Change in Early Medieval Brittany

• In Event: Towards Better Histories of Climate and Society: Investigating Late Antique and Medieval Climate Change

Abstract

Early medieval Brittany, the northwesternmost peninsula of France, was defined by its proximity to the sea. While Brittany’s extensive coastlines linked it to the wider Atlantic world, they also introduced danger and vulnerability to the region, in the form of Viking raids and devastating storms. This paper examines potential climate drivers for storm surges in early medieval Brittany, using a combination of textual evidence and paleoscientific research. Without a doubt, miraculous stories of saints calming the seas and dictating the winds make for challenging historical accounts. When read carefully, and particularly when combined with local paleoscientific data, however, these sources offer a compelling glimpse of early medieval climate history, showcasing how Brittany’s coastal inhabitants weathered the challenges of the early Middle Ages.

Author

• Bryna Cameron-Steinke, Georgetown University