The Battles That Changed The Course Of History

Throughout history, some battles have gone down in legend, not just for their outcomes, but for the courage, ingenuity, leadership, and sheer stakes involved. From ancient clashes of empires to modern feats of endurance in brutal urban combat, these are the battles that changed maps and had a decisive impact on modern cultures. Here are 20 of the most epic battles in history. 

painter: Emil Hünten on Wikimedia

1. Battle of Marathon

The Battle of Marathon was arguably the most notable battle in the Greco-Persian Wars between 499 and 449 BC. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Greeks came out victorious, preserving their independence and shaping Western civilization.

Georges Rochegrosse on Wikimedia

2. Battle of Gaugamela

The Battle of Gaugamela saw Alexander the Great face off against King Darius III of Persia. He secured a stunning victory despite being outnumbered, and the Achaemenid Empire fell under Greek control. 

Jan Brueghel the Elder on Wikimedia

3. Battle of Thermopylae

One of the most legendary battles in history, the Battle of Thermopylae saw King Leonidas I of Sparta with a small alliance of Greek city-states go head-to-head with Persian King Xerxes I. The Persian army was an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 strong, while the Greek forces amounted to just 7,000 soldiers, including 300 elite Spartan warriors. The Greeks were overrun after holding off the Persians for two days, but this bought the rest of Greece time to prepare. 

Abbott, Jacob on Wikimedia

4. Siege of Alesia

The Siege of Alesia during the Gallic Wars saw Julius Caesar and his army defeat the Gauls despite being outnumbered by at least 30,000 troops. He was able to gain the upper hand by utilizing fortifications and traps strategically and forcing surrender through a siege of attrition. 

Lionel Royer on Wikimedia

5. Battle of Cannae

The Battle of Cannae in 216 BC was one of the most decisive and legendary battles in the Second Punic War. Carthage forces, led by Hannibal and a cavalry that included war elephants, were vastly outnumbered by Roman forces, but cinched a historic victory anyway, humiliating the Romans, who suffered massive losses. 

Ravenelle Master on Wikimedia

6. Battle of Tours

The Battle of Tours is one of the most significant battles of the Middle Ages, credited with shaping Europe. The Christian Franks were pinned against Muslim invaders and, relying on discipline and armor, were able to repel Muslim forces, ending the spread of Islam into Western Europe.

Charles de Steuben on Wikimedia

7. Battle of Hastings

The Battle of Hastings in 1066 is one of the most famous battles in English history. Norman forces, led by William, Duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel to invade England, going head-to-head with the Anglo-Saxons, who were defeated. William then became King of England, having a lasting cultural impact on British culture.

Myrabella on Wikimedia

8. Battle of Hattin 

The Battle of Hattin was a decisive conflict during the Crusades. The Crusaders were trying to defend Jerusalem and maintain control over the Holy Land, but they were overwhelmed by the Muslim army, led by Saladin, changing the balance of power in the region.

Unknown author on Wikimedia

9. Siege of Orléans 

The Siege of Orléans between 1428 and 1429 was a pivotal battle during the Hundred Years’ War. English forces tried to capture the city of Orléans but were repelled by French forces, including reinforcements led by 17-year-old Joan of Arc, who boosted the morale of French soldiers.

Eugène Lenepveu on Wikimedia

10. Battle of Vienna

As part of the Great Turkish War, the Battle of Vienna was a major conflict between the Ottomans and European forces. The Europeans, despite being outnumbered, managed to hold off the Ottomans with their strong cavalry, halting their expansion into Central Europe.

Martino Altomonte on Wikimedia

11. Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was the conflict that ended Napoleon Bonaparte's rule and reshaped Europe. The French army tried to invade Waterloo in modern-day Belgium but was repelled by a coalition of British, Dutch, Belgian, and German troops who secured a decisive victory. 

William Sadler on Wikimedia

12. Siege of Yorktown

The Siege of Yorktown was a pivotal event in the American Revolutionary War, effectively ending the war and earning the US its independence. George Washington, with the support of French General Rochambeau, encircled British forces, bombarding them until they were forced to surrender. 

Eugene-Louis Lami, 1840 on Wikimedia

13. Battle of Badr

The Battle of Badr saw Muslim forces led by the Prophet Muhammad gain victory over the Quraysh of Mecca despite being vastly outnumbered. It solidified the Prophet Muhammad's influence and marked a turning point in Islamic history. 

Unknown author on Wikimedia

14. Siege of Constantinople

The Siege of Constantinople in 1453 effectively ended the 1,000-year-old Byzantine Empire and marked the rise of Ottoman influence in Europe. The Ottomans marched into Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) with 80,000 troops, breaching the city's massive walls and overwhelming the Byzantine defenders.

Palma Le Jeune on Wikimedia

15. Battle of Hsupeng

One of the most decisive conflicts of the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s, the Battle of Hsupeng marked a turning point that led to the establishment of the People's Republic of China. The battle saw the Chinese Communist Party securing a decisive victory over the Kuomintang (KMT) and the elimination of over 550,000 KMT troops.

Persianbeats on Wikimedia

16. Battle of Boyacá

The Battle of Boyacá was a major turning point in the Latin American wars of independence in 1819. It saw revolutionary forces, led by Simón Bolívar, clashing with Spanish colonial troops in modern-day Colombia, completely overwhelming them, and solidifying the region's independence from Spain.

Martín Tovar y Tovar on Wikimedia

17. Battle of Cajamarca

The Battle of Cajamarca of 1532 signified the collapse of the Inca Empire. Spanish colonial forces opened fire on the Incas, who were unarmed or poorly armed compared to the Europeans' technology and horses. They were quickly overwhelmed, opening the door for Spanish conquest.

Juan Lepiani on Wikimedia

18. Battle of Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar was a naval battle during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. The British Navy defeated the combined fleets of France and Spain, asserting British naval dominance in the region for over a century. 

J. M. W. Turner on Wikimedia

19. Battle of Adwa

The Battle of Adwa in 1896 was the battle that ensured Ethiopia's sovereignty from invading Italian forces. Ethiopian forces encircled the poorly coordinated and outnumbered Italians, securing a decisive victory and becoming a symbol of African resistance.

A. Davey on Wikimedia

20. Battle of Stalingrad 

The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most decisive battles of WWII. When the Nazis tried to invade the city of Stalingrad, the Soviets surprised them with a massive counteroffensive, which saw civilians and soldiers alike fiercely defending the city, forcing the Nazis to surrender. It was Germany's first major defeat of the war.

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