536 AD: The Year That The Sun Disappeared | Catastrophe | Real History

Real History・2 minutes read

Around 1500 years ago, a global climate catastrophe caused various extreme conditions, with theories pointing towards a volcanic eruption in the mid-6th century as the likely cause. This eruption had far-reaching consequences, impacting civilizations worldwide, including the emergence of nations like England and the rise of Islam due to climatic chaos leading to political and historical shifts.

Insights

  • The mid-6th century experienced a catastrophic climate event with global ramifications, including darkness, famine, and plague, supported by historical records and archaeological evidence.
  • Mike Bailey's research on abnormal tree growth worldwide in the mid-6th century points to extremely cold weather conditions, with microscopic analysis of oak tree rings revealing frost damage, indicating prolonged cold spells during that period.
  • Analysis of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica suggests a massive volcanic eruption around 535 AD, potentially by Krakatoa, leading to global climatic catastrophe, impacting societies, like the Avars and Teotihuacan, and influencing the rise of Islam due to political and environmental changes.

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Recent questions

  • What caused the catastrophic climate event around 1500 years ago?

    The catastrophic climate event around 1500 years ago was likely caused by a massive volcanic eruption, possibly by Krakatoa, in 535 AD. This eruption led to darkness, drought, frost, famine, and significant human casualties, with its power equivalent to 2,000 million Hiroshima-sized nuclear bombs, causing a nuclear winter effect. The aftermath of the eruption resulted in droughts, famines, and political consequences, such as the spread of the bubonic plague in 542 AD, affecting the Roman Empire and causing millions of deaths.

  • How did Mike Bailey study climate changes in the mid-6th century?

    Mike Bailey, a dendrochronologist, studied climate changes in the mid-6th century by analyzing tree ring patterns for weather data dating back thousands of years. Bailey's research revealed abnormal tree growth worldwide during that period, indicating extremely cold weather conditions that affected tree rings in various regions like Ireland, California, Chile, and Siberia. The microscopic examination of oak tree rings from 536 A.D. showed frost damage, suggesting prolonged cold weather during that time.

  • What impact did the climatic catastrophe of the mid-6th century have on the Avars?

    The climatic catastrophe of the mid-6th century, particularly the cold and dry conditions in 535 and 536, affected the Avars and other tribes on the Mongolian steppe. The Avars, known for their advanced horsemen skills and likely invention of the stirrup, were attacked by the Turks in 552, leading to their defeat. This defeat may have been influenced by differences in economy between the horse-based Avar economy and the cattle-based Turk economy. Following the attack, the Avars embarked on a 4,000-mile trek westwards, eventually reaching the Balkans and recovering their horse technology.

  • How did the eruption of 535 AD impact Teotihuacan in central Mexico?

    The eruption of 535 AD and the subsequent climatic catastrophe led to a decline in health and population in Teotihuacan in central Mexico during the mid to late 6th century. The long-lasting drought linked to the eruption may have contributed to the city's decline. Eventually, the people of Teotihuacan rose up against their leaders, setting fire to the city's structures, possibly due to political and religious changes. This event marked the destruction of Teotihuacan, influenced by the climatic chaos and internal unrest during that period.

  • How did the emergence of Islam relate to the collapse of the Marib Dam in Yemen?

    The emergence of Islam was influenced by the collapse of the Marib Dam in Yemen, a massive engineering feat that played a crucial role in Yemen's power. The climatic chaos in the 6th century, including drought and floods, led to the destruction of the dam, shifting power to cities like Medina and Mecca. This collapse forced Muhammad's family to provide food during times of famine and plague, aiding in the acceptance of his ministry. The upheaval in the ancient world, with wars and revolutions, made Muhammad's message appealing as it offered hope in a time of uncertainty and political instability, contributing to the early evolution of Islam.

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Summary

00:00

Global Catastrophe: Unraveling the Mid-6th Century Mystery

  • Around 1500 years ago, a catastrophic climate event occurred globally, causing darkness, blood-colored rain, dust clouds, winter, drought, famine, plague, and death.
  • David Keys, a history and archaeology writer, conducted a five-year investigation into this mid-6th century catastrophe, consulting over 80 experts and analyzing historical records.
  • Mike Bailey, a dendrochronologist, pioneered the use of tree rings to study climate changes, developing a computer program to analyze tree ring patterns for weather data dating back thousands of years.
  • Bailey's research revealed abnormal tree growth in the mid-6th century worldwide, indicating extremely cold weather conditions that affected tree rings in Ireland, California, Chile, and Siberia.
  • The microscopic examination of oak tree rings from 536 A.D. showed frost damage, suggesting prolonged cold weather during that period.
  • Archaeological evidence from Ireland, including submerged timbers from crannogs, fortified island refuges, supported the theory of harsh conditions in the mid-6th century.
  • Roman accounts from the 6th century, including descriptions of a dimmed sun lasting 18 months, and records from China, Korea, and Japan, highlighted the global impact of the climatic disaster.
  • Theories on the cause of the catastrophe included an asteroid, comet, or volcano, with calculations indicating the need for a large impact to generate a decade-long climate effect.
  • Scientists at Los Alamos considered the atmospheric consequences of asteroid and comet strikes, with the possibility of a fragmented comet scattering throughout the atmosphere as a potential explanation.
  • While no evidence of a crater or significant coastal plant growth interruption was found, the search for the cause of the mid-6th century catastrophe pointed towards a volcanic eruption as a likely explanation.

22:17

King Arthur's Comet: Climate Catastrophe Theory

  • The 1908 Tunguska event was an airburst explosion caused by a lightweight meteor hitting the Earth's atmosphere and exploding, leading to local destruction.
  • Mike Bailey theorizes that a shower of cometary debris, similar to the Tunguska event, could impact the climate by releasing a significant amount of material into the atmosphere.
  • Bailey suggests using mythology to support his theory, analyzing King Arthur's legend and linking it to a climatic catastrophe in the 6th century.
  • The legends of King Arthur mention terrible blows raining down from the skies, possibly symbolizing devastation by a comet.
  • Bailey connects Arthur's myth to Celtic mythology, tracing back to the Celtic god Lugh, described as a bright solar deity with a long arm, possibly representing a comet.
  • David Keys explores the possibility of a cometary bombardment or volcanic eruption causing the climatic catastrophe in the 6th century.
  • A multinational team of scientists extracts ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to study the atmosphere's history, looking for traces of cometary debris or volcanic sulfates.
  • Analysis of the ice cores reveals a significant spike in sulfates around 535 AD, indicating a major volcanic eruption rather than cometary debris.
  • The evidence from both poles suggests a massive volcanic eruption around the mid-6th century, impacting global climate.
  • Krakatoa, a legendary volcano in Indonesia, is identified as a potential culprit for the 6th-century eruption based on historical records and geological evidence, leading to an expedition to date the eruption.

42:51

Krakatoa eruption in 535 AD analyzed

  • Sigurdsson needs charcoal from the major eruption layer around Anak Krakatoa to determine an exact date.
  • Finding charcoal in layers above and below the major eruption layer could help narrow down the date.
  • The search for charcoal is challenging due to the volcanic activity that prevents vegetation growth.
  • Sigurdsson found 10 charcoal samples during his time in Krakatoa but none large enough for dating the major eruption layer.
  • Carbon dating results show the layer above the major eruption dates to 1215 AD and a layer below to 6600 BC.
  • The evidence suggests a major eruption around 535 AD, possibly by Krakatoa, causing global climatic catastrophe.
  • The eruption in 535 AD led to darkness, drought, frost, famine, and significant human casualties.
  • The eruption's power was equivalent to 2,000 million Hiroshima-sized nuclear bombs, causing a nuclear winter effect.
  • The eruption's aftermath led to droughts, famines, and political consequences, like the spread of the bubonic plague.
  • The bubonic plague outbreak in 542 AD was likely influenced by the climatic changes post-535 AD eruption, affecting the Roman Empire and causing millions of deaths.

01:05:51

Avars: Horsemen, Stirrups, Refugees, Conquerors, Gold

  • Chinese chronicles and archaeological finds indicate the Avars were advanced horsemen, with their riding style, saddles, and mouth bits still in use by Hungarian plainsmen today.
  • The Avars likely invented the stirrup, giving them a military edge due to their large concentration of horses, which also provided food and sustenance.
  • In 535 and 536, a catastrophe hit the Mongolian steppe, leading to cold and dry conditions that affected the Avars and other tribes.
  • The Avars were attacked by the Turks in 552, leading to their defeat, possibly due to differences in economy between a horse-based Avar economy and a cattle-based Turk economy.
  • The Avars, after being attacked, embarked on a 4,000-mile trek westwards, eventually reaching the Balkans and recovering their horse technology.
  • The Avars, as refugees, became a conquering people, dominating tribes north of the Danube and harassing the Roman Empire, extracting vast amounts of gold from them.
  • The Avars' impact, combined with the plague and economic issues, destabilized the Roman Empire, with the Avars netting over seven billion pounds worth of gold from them.
  • Teotihuacan in central Mexico faced a decline in health and population in the mid to late 6th century, possibly due to a long-lasting drought linked to a climatic catastrophe.
  • Teotihuacan was finally destroyed by its people rising up against their leaders, setting fire to the city's structures, possibly due to political and religious changes.
  • The mid-6th century, marked by the climatic catastrophe of 535, led to significant political and historical consequences worldwide, including the emergence of nations like England.

01:27:39

Marib Dam's collapse shaped Islamic emergence.

  • Yemen's power relied on the Marib Dam, a massive engineering feat, but climatic chaos in the 6th century led to its destruction through drought and floods, shifting power to Medina and Mecca.
  • The emergence of Islam was influenced by the collapse of the Marib Dam, which forced Muhammad's family to provide food, aiding in the acceptance of his ministry during times of famine and plague.
  • The upheaval in the ancient world, including wars and revolutions, made Muhammad's message appealing, as it offered hope in a time of uncertainty and political instability.
  • The eruption of 535 caused climatic chaos, contributing to the early evolution of Islam, and raises concerns about potential future volcanic eruptions, like Yellowstone Caldera, which could have catastrophic global consequences.
  • A future massive volcanic eruption could lead to worldwide food shortages, disruptions in agriculture, and societal collapse, emphasizing the need for preparedness and attention to natural forces' historical impact.
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