The Most Powerful Volcanic Eruptions Through History

For centuries, the identity of the volcano that froze the medieval world was a mystery — until scientists traced it to Samalas on Lombok Island. Its eruption was among the most violent in the last 10,000 years, scattering ash from the Indian Ocean to the Arctic. Global temperatures plummeted, harvests failed, and famine spread like

shadow across kingdoms. Chronicles spoke of “blood-red moons” and “summer snows.” The medieval sky itself became a canvas of despair.