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5 Worst Years in Human History
The darkest chapters of our past
The history of the human race is a vast saga of fascinating stories. There have been many triumphs over the years, but the bad moments tend to stand out the most. Indeed, we’re much more interested in wars and revolutions than peace and continuity. Though there will always be debates about which year was the absolute worst, it’s impossible to deny that these five were nothing short of horrific.
1. 536
The Volcanic Winter of 536 was a creepy and unusual event. Historians and scientists still don’t know exactly what happened, but what we do know is terrifying.
Due to a volcanic eruption that took place in Iceland, a haze formed in the earth’s atmosphere. This weakened the sun’s radiation and led to colder temperatures and darker days in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to agricultural issues and famine, disease spread throughout Europe and Asia.
Indeed, multiple sources have talked about the impact of this phenomenon, including the Greek historian Procopius:
“… the sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during this whole year … men were free neither from war nor pestilence nor any other thing leading to death.”
These tragic events were not limited to 536. The effects of the Volcanic Winter were felt for years, leading to millions upon millions of deaths.
2. 1315
In April 1315, heavy rainfall devastated Europe for 150 days. The exact cause of this prolonged weather event is still unknown, but we have plenty of information about the consequences.
The floodwaters destroyed acres of crops. Wheat, barley, oats, and rye were scarce, causing many farm animals to die. Disease and malnutrition soon became widespread, and many people resorted to desperate measures to survive.
