Wars That Stretched Across Centuries: 7 Conflicts That Lasted Over 100 Years
Wars have shaped history for centuries, with some lasting generations, redefining borders, cultures, and power struggles that still echo today.
GK, General Knowledge: War has shaped the world for as long as humans have walked the earth. Some battles were brief, lasting mere days, while others dragged on for decades. And then, there were wars that stretched across generations, reshaping borders, civilisations, and entire ways of life. Today’s conflicts, such as those between Russia and Ukraine or Israel and Hamas, are stark reminders that war is never too far from human existence. But history tells tales of even longer struggles—wars that spanned centuries, fuelled by ambition, power, and at times, sheer survival.
One such war was the legendary conflict between England and France, a saga of rivalry that lasted from 1066 to 1776. The Hundred Years’ War, a key part of this ongoing feud, raged for 116 years, far exceeding its name.
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Some of these prolonged conflicts were not merely about politics or power. They were about identity, faith, and the fight for dominance. They shaped nations, cultures, and left legacies that still echo today.
The Iberian Religious War: A 781-Year Struggle
The longest continuous war in recorded history, the Iberian Religious War, was fought between the Catholic Spanish Empire and the Moors from North Africa. Commonly referred to as the Reconquista, it lasted an astonishing 781 years—nearly three times the lifespan of the United States.
It all began in 711 CE, when the Moors laid claim to parts of Europe, prompting Spain to launch a fierce counteroffensive. This was one of the earliest religious conflicts fought outside the Arab world. The war finally ended in 1492, when the Spanish successfully recaptured Granada, securing their dominance in the region. The toll? Nearly 7 million lives.
The Persian-Roman Wars: A 720-Year Border Conflict
For over seven centuries, the Roman Empire clashed with the Parthians, later succeeded by the Sassanids, along the Persia-Europe border. These conflicts revolved around territorial expansion, with each side eager to conquer the other’s border cities.
While the battles themselves were fierce, the war’s greatest damage was financial. The constant fighting drained both empires, weakening them against external threats. Spanning from 92 BC to 629 AD, this war was a testament to the relentless pursuit of dominance.
The Roman-Germanic War: Rome vs. the Tribes (708 Years)
From 113 BC to 596 CE, the Roman Empire fought wave after wave of Germanic tribes in what is now Europe. Known as the Roman-Germanic Wars, this brutal conflict arose from Rome’s expansionist ambitions clashing with the indigenous tribes’ determination to protect their lands.
Tribes such as the Visigoths, Vandals, and Franks resisted Roman control. While Rome held the upper hand for centuries, these wars ultimately played a role in the empire’s decline.
The Arauco War: Spain vs. Indigenous Chile (289 Years)
From 1536 to 1825, Spain waged war against the Araucanian tribes of present-day Chile, including the Mapuche, Picunche, and Huilliche. Unlike other South American regions that fell swiftly to Spanish rule, the native forces here used their knowledge of the land to resist.
Spain controlled most of South America at the time, but this war proved to be one of their longest struggles. In the end, negotiations between Spain and Chile in 1825 secured Chile’s independence, finally bringing the conflict to an end.
The Byzantine-Seljuq War: A 300-Year Struggle for Power
The Byzantine Empire faced numerous enemies, but its longest and most draining war was against the Seljuk Turks. From 1048 CE to 1348 CE, the two powers clashed repeatedly over control of Asia Minor and parts of modern-day Europe.
The Seljuks suffered territorial losses due to the Crusades, yet the Byzantine Empire found itself overstretched and struggling to maintain its hold. This prolonged conflict ultimately contributed to the empire’s steady decline.
The Polish-Russian Wars: 217 Years of Rivalry
From 1577 to 1794, Poland and Russia engaged in a series of conflicts that reshaped Eastern Europe. The wars were driven by territorial ambition, religious differences, and dynastic claims, particularly over contested regions such as Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Tsardom battled for dominance, each seeking to expand their influence. These wars had a lasting impact on the balance of power in Eastern Europe.
The Ottoman-Byzantine Wars: The Fall of an Empire (215 Years)
The Byzantine-Ottoman Wars, fought between the 13th and 15th centuries, marked the end of both the Byzantine Empire and the medieval era in Europe. The Ottomans steadily expanded their territory, shrinking Byzantine control bit by bit.
The final blow came when Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453. This not only ended the Byzantine reign but also solidified Ottoman power across Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
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