The Great Famine in Europe Between 1315 and 1317, large parts of Europe experienced one of the worst crises of the Middle Ages. Years of constant rain, failed harvests, and cold weather destroyed crops and made food scarce across regions such as England, France, the Low Countries, and the German lands. With no reserves and no modern infrastructure, everyday life quickly collapsed. Streets became crowded with waste, clean water was hard to find, and people were forced to survive in overcrowded ho