RE: Did any of them tank any countries entire economies?
The Bubonic Plague in the middle ages not only tanked the European economy, it took DECADES for them to recover.
Nearly a third of Europe’s population was wiped out!
There was a deep recession in 1920-21 because of the Spanish Influenza.
Everyone thinks we are so “unique” these days.
Their recovery was an explosion of creativity & productivity.
Wages went up dramatically, the feudal system was stressed and classes became much more fluid, recognizable capitalism emerged. The age of exploration and industrialization started.