Most wars in history have lasted from a few months to a few years. A few have lasted over a decade, even fewer a couple of decades. Rarer still are wars that last a century or more – wars of such length are a serious anomaly.
The longest war that has ever been fought – although “fought” is perhaps not quite the best term to use, considering how this particular war played out – is one that lasted well over three centuries, between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly, which are off the southwest coast of England.
When peace was officially declared between the Isles of Scilly and the Netherlands, it brought to an end 335 years of war, making it the longest war in history. However, not a single shot was fired during these three long centuries of continuous war, and there were no casualties.
Read Full Article »