could not be buried until the following spring. Estimatedly 70,000 people – one fifth or fourth of Estonian population died during the Great Famine. Regional impact The availability of salt, a vital ingredient for preserving meat and fish, was impacted by the colder climate. Portugal, the main source of salt to the Baltic region, was affected by excessive rain making salt production difficult. The shortage of salt meant that meat and fish produces could not be preserved, reducing stockpiles available for consumption. At the time Estonia and Livonia were seen as the granaries of the Swedish Empire and large quantities of grain were shipped to Sweden and Finland. Due to the low status these provinces held in the empire, priority was given to the fulfilment of these export quotas. The Government in Stockholm were slow to react to the developing famine and did not relax their policies until 1697 when it was too late. Aftermath Peter the Great cited the inadequate provisioning of Peter's retinue of 250 people and horses as they passed through the province during the famine in 1697 by the Swedish Governor General as one of the main pretexts for declaring war against Sweden in 1700, the Great Northern War. See also Great Famine of Finland (1695–1697) The plague during the Great Northern War Irish Famine (1740–1741) List of famines Little Ice Age References Sources 1558–1710. Estonia under Swedish rule - Population Estonia Health disasters in Estonia 17th century in Estonia 1695 in Europe 1696 in Europe 1697 in Europe 17th-century health disasters 17th-century famines