Worst year in history?
Not 2020-

1070 Norman genocide killed 3/4 of the popn of Northern England
1349 Black Death killed 1/2 popn of Europe
1520 smallpox killed 60-90% of indigenous popn of the Americas
1918 Spanish Flu caused >50 million deaths

But all overshadowed by 536 AD

“it was the beginning of one of the worst periods to be alive, if not the worst year"- Michael McCormick

Volcanic eruption in Iceland caused huge quantities of ash to spread, creating dense fog that plunged the world into darkness 24 hours a day, for nearly 2 years

Global temperatures plummeted to the coldest decade in >2000 years
Crops failed leading to famine across Europe, Africa & Asia
Starvation & economic disaster were followed in 541 by an outbreak of bubonic plague killing nearly 100 million people(incl 1/2 the Byzantine Empire)

"Labeling each new year as ‘the worst year in history’ has become something of a fad these days.
We should look back to the year 536 A.D. and cherish how fortunate we are not to have lived in a time when the world was truly in darkness"- @saamir86

I guess but....

@threadreaderapp unroll please!