Types and causes of conflicts

Types and Causes of Conflicts

Religious Conflicts

  • Occurred due to disagreement between different religious perspectives and doctrines.
    • Example: The Crusades (1095–1291): Initiated as a response to the expansion of Muslim powers; Christians aimed to recover the Holy Land.
  • Also arose from attempts to control religious institutes for political gains.

Political Conflicts

  • Wars often started due to disagreements over governance or political ideology.
    • Example: The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487) in England: A dynastic conflict for control of the throne between two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, the House of York, and the House of Lancaster.
  • These could also lead to internal civil wars due to rebellions or resistance against oppressive authorities.

Economic Conflicts

  • Conflicts arose due to control of resources, trade routes, or territories rich in resources.
    • Example: The Norman Conquest (1066), which was in part a contest over wealth and resources.

Territorial Disputes

  • Control over geographical territories often led to war.
    • Example: Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453): Struggle for control of the French throne that involved a number of territorial disputes.

Social and Cultural Conflicts

  • Social conflicts often arose due to questions of identity, such as tribal, ethnic, or national identity.
    • Example: The Reconquista (711–1492): Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula sought to reclaim their lands from Muslim rule.
  • Conflicts could also arise due to division and inequalities within societies.

Understanding these categories and analysing the various ways in which the causes of war are interconnected will provide a thorough grounding in the origins of conflicts from 750–1500.