From Ancient Battlefields to Modern Warfare: 23 of the Biggest Wars in Human History

Throughout history, humanity has remained entangled in what seems like an unending tapestry of warfare, where armed conflicts have endured for over 90% of the 3,400 years documented. The toll of war on human lives is staggering, with estimations reaching as high as 1 billion casualties throughout time.

These losses unfolded in the midst of expansive global conflicts involving rival kingdoms and entire continents. As populations burgeoned and technology advanced, the scope and devastation of war consistently rose. Spanning from the third century to the 21st century, more than 20 wars have witnessed the demise of over 1 million individuals.

The focus was on major military engagements where at least 1 million people met their end, primarily in battle. Many of the death counts, especially in earlier wars, remain estimates, and mass casualty events like genocides were excluded. The wars are presented chronologically.

History is marked by conflicts spanning generations, like the Punic Wars or the Crusades. While these clashes involved the same groups and nations over time, the wars experienced multiple halts and recommencements. In instances where over 1 million combatants perished across the course of these conflicts but not in any single war, they were not included.

The chaos of war complicates the task of accurately counting casualties or determining the actual causes of death. Beyond direct violence, war can claim lives through starvation or a lack of basic necessities like shelter and healthcare. The death tolls provided are estimates and may encompass numerous non-combatants who succumbed as a result of the conflicts.

Civilians, unfortunately, bear the brunt of armed conflicts as invading forces often overpower local defenses before turning their weapons on non-combatants, resulting in millions of civilian casualties, injuries, and displacements. Even in contemporary times, thousands of refugees annually seek asylum in the US, driven by violence in their home countries.

Following are the 23 biggest wars in history:

1. Three Kingdoms War
   Estimated Deaths: 40,000,000
   Combatants: Wei, Shu, Wu
   Location (Modern Day): China
   Date: 220-280
2. Moorish Wars
   Estimated Deaths: 5,000,000
   Combatants: Byzantine Empire, Moorish tribes
   Location (Modern Day): North Africa
   Date: 534-548
3. An Lushan Rebellion
   Estimated Deaths: 36,000,000
   Combatants: Yan Dynasty, Tang Dynasty
   Location (Modern Day): China
   Date: 755-763
4. Hundred Years’ War
   Estimated Deaths: 2,300,000-3,300,000
   Combatants: House of Valois, House of Plantagenet
   Location (Modern Day): Western Europe
   Date: 1337-1453
5. Conquests of Timur
   Estimated Deaths: 20,000,000
   Combatants: Timurid Empire, Various Asian countries
   Location (Modern Day): Eurasia
   Date: 1370-1405
6. Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire
   Estimated Deaths: 8,400,000
   Combatants: Spanish Empire, Inca Empire
   Location (Modern Day): Peru
   Date: 1532-1572
7. Imjin War
   Estimated Deaths: 1,100,000
   Combatants: Japan, Korea
   Location (Modern Day): Korea
   Date: 1592-1598
8. The transition from Ming to Qing
   Estimated Deaths: 25,000,000
   Combatants: Qing Dynasty, Ming Dynasty
   Location (Modern Day): China
   Date: 1618-1683
9. Thirty Years’ War
   Estimated Deaths: 8,000,000-11,500,000
   Combatants: Various European nations
   Location (Modern Day): Europe
   Date: 1618-1648
10. Mughal-Maratha Wars
    Estimated Deaths: 5,000,000
    Combatants: Mughal Empire, Maratha Empire
    Location (Modern Day): Indian subcontinent
    Date: 1658-1707
11. Napoleonic Wars
    Estimated Deaths: 3,500,000-7,000,000
    Combatants: French Empire, European Coalition
    Location (Modern Day): Worldwide
    Date: 1803-1815
12. Mfecane
    Estimated Deaths: 1,500,000
    Combatants: Zulu Kingdom, other African groups
    Location (Modern Day): Southern Africa
    Date: 1818-1840
13. Taiping Rebellion
    Estimated Deaths: 20,000,000
    Combatants: Qing Dynasty, Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
    Location (Modern Day): China
    Date: 1850-1864
14. Dungan Revolt
    Estimated Deaths: 10,000,000
    Combatants: Qing Dynasty, Hui rebels, Kashgaria
    Location (Modern Day): China
    Date: 1862-1877
15. World War I
    Estimated Deaths: 15,000,000
    Combatants: Allied Powers, Central Powers
    Location (Modern Day): Worldwide
    Date: 1914-1918
16. Russian Civil War
    Estimated Deaths: 9,000,000
    Combatants: Red Army, White Army
    Location (Modern Day): Russia
    Date: 1917-1922
17. Chinese Civil War
    Estimated Deaths: 7,500,000
    Combatants: Republic of China, Communist Party of China
    Location (Modern Day): China
    Date: 1927-1950
18. Second Sino-Japanese War
    Estimated Deaths: 17,000,000-20,000,000
    Combatants: China, Japan
    Location (Modern Day): China
    Date: 1937-1945
19. World War II
    Estimated Deaths: 85,000,000
    Combatants: Allied Powers, Axis Powers
    Location (Modern Day): Worldwide
    Date: 1939-1945
20. Korean War
    Estimated Deaths: 2,500,000
    Combatants: North Korea and allies, South Korea and allies
    Location (Modern Day): Korea
    Date: 1950-1953
21. Vietnam War
    Estimated Deaths: 4,000,000
    Combatants: South Vietnam and allies, North Vietnam and allies
    Location (Modern Day): Vietnam
    Date: 1955-1975
22. Second Sudanese Civil War
    Estimated Deaths: 1,900,000
    Combatants: Sudan, South Sudan
    Location (Modern Day): Sudan
    Date: 1983-2005
23. Second Congo War
    Estimated Deaths: 3,800,000
    Combatants: Democratic Republic of Congo, Various other countries and rebel groups
    Location (Modern Day): Central Africa
    Date: 1998-2003

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