An unknown volcanic eruption (…) triggering a cool and overcast period in the Mediterranean, the eruption started a domino effect that led to a downturn in agricultural production, which required merchants to import grain — and the bacterium Yersinia pestis that causes bubonic plague — via the Black Sea.

“Unknown”?

When combing through contemporaneous historical accounts, the researchers noticed reports of reduced sunshine, increased cloudiness and a dark lunar eclipse, all independently reported by observers in parts of Asia and Europe between 1345 and 1349. All of these astronomical and weather phenomena could be attributed to a large-scale volcanic aerosol layer

So if I’m understanding the article correctly the earthquake scared the butterflies away and they were the only thing holding the black death back.

Then why didn’t they just make another volcano called ‘the white death’ to cancel everything out?