A '''religious war''' is a war started in the name of a certain [[religion]] usually against a differing and/or opposing religion. Such wars have occured since the formation of [[religion]] and have led to a lot of [[bloodshed]] and [[suffering]].
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A '''religious war''' is a war started in the name of a certain [[religion]] usually against a differing and/or opposing religion. Such wars have occurred since the formation of religion and, as with all wars, have led to bloodshed and suffering of not only the proponents of such wars, but of innocents as well.
==Examples of religious wars==
==Examples of religious wars==
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A notable example of a religious war, or more exactly a series of wars, is the [[Crusades]] of medieval Europe, started by [[Christians]] to take back The [[Holy Land]] from [[Muslim]] control.
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An notable example of a religious wars, or more exactly series of wars, is the [[Crusades]] of medieval Europe, started by Christians to defeat Muslims and heathens in Israel.
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Almost all of [[Islam]]'s early expansion was due to [[jihad]] and an attempt to forcefully spread their religion.
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Not all examples are negative. [[Constantine]]'s civil war with [[Licinius]] was fought over Licinius' persecution of Christians. The war ended with Constantine's victory and the persecutions stopped. A [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] victory against Varahran V of the Neo-Persian Empire forced him to end his policy of persecution against Christians as well.