ABSTRACT
Among the migrations of people from Dalmatian hinterland towards prosperous Dalmatian towns on Eastern Adriatic coast, the migrant wave following the great hunger of 1453 and 1454 was striking as being exceptional in extent so far as it is documented in the sources. The hunger was the consequence of multiple causes, of which the most important were extremely catastrophic weather conditions which might be influenced by the famous Kuwae eruption. To this might be added an epidemic of plague, as well as political tensions and violent conflicts between local authorities in the region. Besides presenting the complex natural and non-natural origins of this human catastrophe, the chapter shows how the authorities of Dalmatian cities (notably Dubrovnik and Split) tried to cope with the humanitarian and sanitary problems of the massive presence of destitute immigrants, trying at the same time to transfer the problem further away. At the same time, notarial records demonstrate the active role of immigrants in trying to find solutions to their situation.
