Pollution & Deforestation in the Medieval World

Image: (top) Medieval London, from a manuscript of poems by Charles, Duke of Orléans, 15th century. Source: The British Library. (bottom) Men cutting wood from The Book of Hours, Belgium, Bruges, 1525-1530. Image source: The Morgan Library. Article by Katrina Fayrie, BA History w/ specialization Medieval History, Associates in Linguistics & Philosophy. The Collector – January 20, 2025. 

There has been a gross misconception since the Enlightenment, that the 8th to the 15th centuries saw no development—there was a “Middle Age” if you will. This teleology is ill-founded. Like us, they went through technological advancements, so much so that—like us—the peoples of the Middle Ages had to deal with air and water pollution, and deforestation. […]

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