The world’s history is replete with wars that were fought for many reasons – religious, political or otherwise. Heavy consequences such as massive number of deaths, famine, displacement of population and terrible living conditions always followed them.

They have re-drawn the boundaries of many countries, changed the world politics, cultures and trade, and affected the lives of many in innumerable ways.
The wars we have listed below are called the Deadliest Wars in Human History for a reason. They incurred a mean death toll of above 2 million and were fought at an unimaginable scale.

16. Hundred Years’ War:
Death Toll: 2.3 to 3.3 million ;
Period: 1337 to 1453; Warring Parties: Kingdom of England and Kingdom of France


The war was waged for 116 years for control over the Kingdom of France and spanned over five generations of kings. After the Norman Conquest, the kings of France were under feudal allegiance to kings of England. For a long time France tried to gain control over itself by decreasing the number of lands under England’s control.
France also interfered whenever the English were at war with Scotland, its ally. This caused further conflict between the two kingdoms and renewed the assertion for claim over French throne by Edward III of England. After over decades of wars, both the kingdoms lost much. The depleted resources, famine and civil wars further put a stop to them.

15. French Wars of Religion
Death Toll: 2 to 4 million; Period: March 1562 – April 1598; Warring Parties: Catholics and Protestants in France


The wars started with the Massacre of Vassy in March 1562 leading to open hostility between the two religions. Later the parties managed to grudgingly unite to fight against the English who occupied Le Havre. The entire period between 1562 and 1598 was filled with wars, truces, mostly temporary, and the struggle to establish monarchy as the dominant power.
The wars managed to weaken the monarchy during the rules of Francis II and Charles IX, and the famine and disease added to the existing problems. In 1598, it fell to Henry IV to undo all the damage the wars have done who barely managed to bring peace between the religions.

14. Second Congo War
Death Toll: 2.5 to 5.4 million; Period: 2 August 1998 to 18 July 2003; Warring Parties:

Democratic Republic of Congo, Tutsis, Huts and a Neighbouring African Countries The Second Congo War started a year after the First Congo War and in some part a continuation of fight over the same issues. Following the first war and the involvement foreign
supporters such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola, Chad and Sudan, the second war saw massive genocide and war crimes.

After the assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, the president of Democratic Republic of Congo, his son, Joseph Kabila, was unanimously appointed the president of the Congolese parliament. In 2002, peace agreements were signed and plans were made for legislative and presidential elections within two years time. Later in 2003, the war officially came to an end with the establishment of Transitional Government.

13. Yellow Turban Rebellion
Death Toll: 3 to 7 million; Period: 184 to 205 CE; Warring Parties: Peasants, Taoists and Han Dynasty


There was a time of famine because of which many peasants and soldiers had migrated from north to south of China. The landowners took advantage of the huge labor inflow to enrich themselves. They were further suppressed because of heavy taxes to fund constructions. Eventuallythey formed small bands armies, a force that Taoist leader Zhang Jue was quick to cash on to support his own uprising.
The Han central government at that time was also weakening
because of internal politics. The rebels wore yellow cloths on their heads, which gave the rebellion its name. The rebels and Zhang Jue followers infiltrated the government but their plan went wrong when the rebel sympathizers were executed. Because of the sheer number of rebels and the victory was hard won for Han
dynasty.

12. Napoleonic Wars
Death Toll: 3.5 to 7 million; Period: 18 May
1803 to 20 November 1815; Warring Parties: France, led by Napoleon I and Many European Powers


Following the French Revolution, there was an increase in unprecedented compulsory mass enlisting of people into military service. With Napoleon conquering Europe, losing only 7 out of 60 battles he fought, the French Empire soon became very powerful. The confidence it gave him led to the conquest of Russia which failed because of harsh Russian winter and depleted resources.
A few other successive defeats caused the French to distrust his ideas and to finally exile him to the island of Saint Helena. The Napoleonic wars resulted in the break down the Holy Roman Empire and changes the political conditions of Germany and Italy.

11. Thirty Years War
Death Toll: 3 to 11.5 million; Period: May 1618 to May 1648; Warring Parties:Habsburg States and Anti-Habsburg States


Ferdinand II, the newly elected Holy Roman Emperor, began to impose Roman Catholicism on his people to bring uniformity of religion. But the protestant population in the north of Europe felt this was against their rights to choose and formed Protestant Union. Also, the Bohemian protestants in Habsburg, Austria, elected Frederick V as their monarch instead which angered the Roman Catholic states in the south.
After that the Holy Roman Empire crushed the rebellion which led to majority of the countries in England taking sides. With soldiers looting and the famine war brought millions have died and entire regions were devastated.

10. Russian Civil War
Death Toll: 5 to 9 million; Period: 7 November 1917 to June 16, 1923; Warring Parties: Red Army, White Army, Green Army and Others


After the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, a rivalry broke out between many groups that wanted to lead the future Russia. The majority of casualties were civilians and it was considered the greatest catastrophe in European history.During this time several parts of the Russian Empire sought independence and were established as sovereign states.

9. Chinese Civil War
Death Toll: 8 million; Period: 1 August 1927 to 22 December 1936 and 31 March 1946 to 1 May 1950; Warring Parties: Nationalists and Communists of China

The Chinese Civil War is a result of clash between the supporters of two political ideologies – Kuomintang’s (KMT) nationalism under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek and Communist Party of China’s (CPC) communism under the leadership of Mao Zedong. The conflict resulted in establishing two separate governing states, the Republic of China which is functional in Taiwan and other outlying islands of China, and People’s Republic of China in mainland China.
The two sides, however, ceased fighting for a brief period between 1937 and 1945 to fight Japanese Invasion. Though the battles stopped by 1950, there has never been a peace treaty signed by the two.


www.unbelievable-facts.com/2016/07/deadliest-wars-in-human-history.html/2

What about Biafra civil war

obinna58:
What about Biafra civil war

Nigeria civil war did not make the list.

Olarewajub:



Nigeria civil war did not make the list.

why, this post is controversial, after all the killings involving over 6million people or are u working for d dullard

obinna58:
why, this post is controversial, after all the killings involving over 6million people or are u working for d dullard

You're very funny. I work for nobody. I try and put something up about the Biafra war.

Olarewajub:



You're very funny. I work for nobody. I try and put something up about the Biafra war.

better will be waitn for d update

I wonder why this thread never made front page. I guess that's the reason you left it