High Middle Ages

===Climate and agriculture===
{{Main|Medieval Warm Period}}<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Highmiddleagesplow.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.15|A farmer using [[ox]]en to plow a field]] -->

The [[Medieval Warm Period]], the period from the 10th century to about the 14th century in Europe, was a relatively warm and gentle interval ended by the generally colder [[Little Ice Age]] which would continue until the Middle of the 19th century. Farmers grew [[wheat]] well north into Scandinavia, and [[wine]] grapes in northern England, although the maximum expansion of vineyards appears to occur within the Little Ice Age period. During this time, a high demand for wine and steady volume of [[Alcoholic drink|alcohol consumption]] inspired a viticulture revolution of progress.<ref>Jellinek, E. M. 1976. "Drinkers and Alcoholics in Ancient Rome." Edited by Carole D. Yawney andRobert E. Popham. ''Journal of Studies on Alcohol'' 37 (11): 1718–1740.</ref> This protection from [[famine]] allowed Europe's population to increase, despite the famine in 1315 that killed 1.5 million people. This increased population contributed to the founding of new towns and an increase in industrial and economic activity during the period. They also established trade and a comprehensive production of alcohol. Food production also increased during this time as new ways of farming were introduced, including the use of a heavier plow, horses instead of oxen, and a three-field system that allowed the cultivation of a greater variety of crops than the earlier two-field system—notably [[legume]]s, the growth of which prevented the depletion of important nitrogen from the soil.