Extreme droughts in Transilvania during Little Ice Age derived from documentary evidences

Drought represent one of the extreme aspects of the water cycle with impact on water resources, agriculture and socio-economic activities. Currently, droughts are used as an indicator of climate variability and change and are mainly driven by changes in the hydrological cycle and the large-scale atmospheric circulation. In order to have a long-term perspective on the drought variability and change, beyond the instrumental record, one needs to use different proxies and/or historical evidences. In this study we will present documentray evidences regarding the occurence of extreme droughts in Transilvania region (Romania) during the Little Ice Age (AD 1500-1800) and their socio-economic impacts. Between AD 1500-1800 we identify 126 drought events, frm which 33 are considered extreme droughts (e.g. with the character of a calamity). Of the 33 extreme droughts, 3 occurred between AD 1500-1600, 14 between AD 1600-1700 and 16 between AD1700-1800. These events have been driven by anomalous large-scale atmospheric and oceanic patterns in combination with strong variation in the solar and volcanic variability. In conclusion, our results will contribute to the knowledge of extreme events of Central Eastern Europe during the Little Ice Age and may be used as an indicator to predict their influences in the context of the climate changes.