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Top 10 Longest Wars in History

Some of the longest wars in history lasted over 400 years and some, up to 700 years. In this article, RNN highlights the top 10 so far.

Published

2 years ago

November 30, 2022

Praise Shogbade

Every country dreads a time of war as the casualties recorded are disheartening. The amount of resources and effort that war requires is no small one and the lives of the people affected are equally as Important. This is why countries try as much as possible to avoid war.

While some of the wars recorded in history lasted for a few days or weeks, some on the other hand lasted up to 500 years. Yes, 500 years. RNN has highlighted the top 10 shortest wars in history and now, we’ll provide the top 10 list of the longest wars in history. Here we go!

10. Yemeni–Ottoman conflicts- 373 years

The Yemeni-Ottoman conflicts were a series of conflicts that ensued between the Ottoman Empire and the Zaidi tribe in Upper Yemen. It began in 1538 and ended with the signing of the Treaty of Daan in 1911.

The Ottomans first attempted to capture Yemen in 1538 after the Mamluk rule in Yemen ended. This was after the end of the Ottoman-Manluk War between 1516 and 1517. They keep trying to conquer the nation in a series of conflicts until it was resolved on October 9, 1911.

9. Yaqui Wars- 396 years

The Yaqui wars were equally a series of conflicts between New Spain and the Mexican Republic. Both ends fought against the Yaqui natives for 396 years. The wars began in 1533 and ended in 1929 as the last conflicts of the centuries-long Mexican-Indian Wars.

For almost 400 years, the Spanish and Mexicans launched military campaigns into Yaqui lands and this resulted in many battles and bloodshed.

8. Byzantine–Arab wars- 400 Years

The Byzantine-Arab wars were a series of wars fought for supremacy in the Eastern Mediterranean. It was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid & Fatimid caliphates in the regions of Syria, Southern Italy, Iraq, Palestine, and Anatolia.

For many years, an indecisive slow border warfare ensued and Byzantine victories were recorded in the late 10th and early 11th centuries, allowing Byzantine Emperors (Nikephoros II Phokas, John I Tzimiskes, and Basil II) to recapture the territory lost to the Muslim conquests in the 7th-century wars.

7. Arab–Byzantine wars- 421 years

The Arab-Byzantine wars were a series of conflicts/wars fought between the Arab Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire. The wars began in the 7th century after the Rashidun Caliphate captured Mesopotamia and Syria from the Byzantines and went ahead to go for the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.

Both empires warred over control of the levant, although Egypt and North Africa equally contested. The wars brought about great consequences for the development of Islamic law and theology as well as the relationship between Muslims and Christians.

6. Crusades- 602 years, 5 months

The Crusades remain one of the longest wars in history to date, lasting between 1096 and 1699. They were a series of religious conflicts fought by Christian Europeans against the Muslims and the Turks. During this time, the Crusader States were formed after the fall of the First Crusade between 1095 and 1099, lasting until the fall of the last Crusader State- Acre, in 1291.

The Crusades were typically divided into two periods- the Early Crusades (11th – 12th centuries) and the Late Crusades (13th century). The early crusades were characterized by success on the part of the Christians while the late crusades were characterized by failures.

Although the Crusades eventually had a significant impact on the history of Europe and the Middle East, they ultimately failed to attain their goal of re-establishing Christian control over the Holy Land.

5. Byzantine–Bulgarian wars- 675 years

The Byzantines seem to have a history of long wars and thankfully, this is the last of such on this list. As the 5th on the list of longest wars in history, The Byzantine-Bulgarian wars lasted for a shocking period of 675 years. They were a series of wars fought between the Byzantine and the Bulgarian Empires. The wars began in 680 when the Bulgars invaded Byzantine lands and sustained their invasion for over 200 years (with peace intervals in-between).

The period after then was characterized by intense wars between Bulgaria and Byzantium. Upon regaining its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908, Bulgaria has been a sovereign State. Currently, it is a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO.

4. Roman–Persian Wars- 681 years

The Roman–Persian Wars were a series of wars fought between the Roman and Persian Empires between 54 BC to 628 AD. It typically began in 54 BC when a province of the Persian Empire- Parthia, invaded the easternmost provinces of Rome (Mesopotamia and Armenia).

The wars went on for hundreds of years until 627 AD when Emperor Heraclius conquered Persia by defeating the Persian Empire in Mesopotamia and bringing over 600 years of Persian rule in the East to an abrupt end. These wars often reached a deadlock, however, both parties achieved great success military-wise.

The Roman-Persian Wars were said to greatly impact the development of Christianity and Islam.

3. Anglo-French Wars- 706 years, 5 months

The Anglo-French Wars were a series of conflicts fought between England and France between 1109 and 1815. During this period, both kingdoms engaged in a range of military engagements like minor skirmishes, sieges, and large-scale battles.

European powers like the Holy Roman Empire, Portugal, Dutch Republic, and Spain eventually got involved in the conflict also. The Anglo-French Wars however came to an end at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 which saw more British control in Europe.

2. Roman-Germanic wars- 708 years

As expected, most of the longest wars in history are not wars that were fought all at once, else the entire countries would have been wiped out totally. Imagine fighting a war for 708 years non-stop. There are probably only a few countries with the manpower and financial strength to sustain such a war.

The Roman-Germanic wars, therefore, like many others, were a series of wars fought between 113 BC and 596 AD. The Germanic tribes and the Roman Empire did most of the fighting, although other Germanic tribes like the Franks, Saxons, and the Alamanni also fought against Rome.

According to reports, millions of people lost their lives during the course of this battle and it is recorded as one of the most bloody brutal wars in history.

1. Reconquista- 781 years, 1 month

The Reconquista is the longest war in history. It was fought by Spain and Portugal in a bid to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslim Moors. The war began in 711 AD when the Moors invaded Spain and ended in 1492 when the Moors were finally expelled from Granada.

Over the course of these 781 years, however, the battles and sieges that ensued are hard to number. Millions of people were killed during the Reconquista and it is equally labeled as one of the bloodiest wars in history. One achievement recorded from the Reconquista is its responsibility for the spread of Christianity all through Europe and North and South America. It also birthed some of Spain’s great cities such as Toledo and Seville.

The Reconquista is one war that will always be remembered by many even those yet unborn. It is a story of the lengths people go to for the sake of religious fanatism and the consequences it has on the lives of both those involved and those eventually affected by reason of association. That’s it in the top 10 longest wars in history. Here’s a recap though.