5 Epic Battles That Changed History Forever

[Viggen]

Battles can make or break states and change the destiny of nations forever. As such, they represent some of humanity’s most important events. While there have been dozens of important, interesting battles over the past five thousand years of recorded warfare, here are five that changed history forever, though by no means is this list exhaustive. Instead, I have selected a wide range of battles from across different regions and times and have specifically avoided focusing on more well-known modern battles, many of which will be covered by The National Interest soon to mark the end of the Napoleonic Wars and World War II.

 

Milvian Bridge (313)

Manzikert (1071)

Second Battle of Tarain (1192)

Battle of Ain Jalut (1260)

Battle of Cajamarca (1532)

 

via National Interest

 

Whats on your list?

[indianasmith]

I would have included the Battle of Philippi on that list.

[mcpon]

I read somewhere that the Battle of Salami was important because if the Athenians and others lost, classical Greek civilization's development might have been hampered significantly, lol.

[mcpon]

And the sacking of Constantinople, of course.  That was huge, lol.

[gabrielbell]

The Battle of Artah was fought in 1105 between Crusader forces and the Seljuk Turks at the town of Artah near Antioch. 

[guy]

Battle of Blenheim (1704). The defeat of the French by the England / Scotland (Duke of Marlborough) and the Austrians (Prince Eugene of Savoy) changed the course of modern European history.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blenheim

This battle essentially ended France's delusions of European hegemony. The English victory solidified the young constitutional monarchy under Queen Anne.