Introduction: Floods and Water-Level Fluctuations in Medieval (Central-)Europe

Abstract

In the current chapter, a general overview of (Central-)European flood and water-level change research is presented regarding the Middle Ages. Concerning the last couple of thousands of years, past floods are mainly studied based on documentary and sedimentary(-archaeological) evidence. While documentary sources provide high-resolution (annual, seasonal, monthly) information predominantly related to the last hundreds, or a thousand years, sedimentary-based evidence is able to detect mainly low-resolution (multidecadal, centennial) water-level, hydroclimate and flood changes on a multimillennial scale. In the present chapter, after the discussion of long-term changes, flood-rich and flood-poor periods detected in Europe based on documentary evidence, the individual great flood years of the Middle Ages in Europe are discussed, with special emphasis on Central Europe. This is followed by an overview of major medieval hydroclimatic shifts and break points detected in sedimentary evidence in different parts of Europe, with an emphasis on Central Europe,regarding lake/mire water-level changes, variability and changes in the frequency and intensity of floods captured in lake sedimentation and in river alluvia. Finally, an overview of major research directions on flood-related archaeological investigations is presented in brief.