Most Important War

Im not sure there is any problems with Jean-Luc Picard analysis. First I thought, surely America would continue with its established lust for expansion without the louisania purchase, but if you look at map, from Canada to New Orleans was French territory. However, with only 60,000 people (US well over 2 million) I imagine the US would take it sooner or later.

I clicked other, as I think the Arab conquests from 600-750CE (personally I'd extend that dating) are perhaps the most important series of wars. I will explain my reasoning.

1. In the first century of war the conquerors invaded over 20 modern countries, making at the time the largest empire, at least 13 million square kilometres. Before the Arab empire fell apart, it stretched from Iberia to India! Also had 62 million people, 29% of the world)

2. They destroyed the Persian empire, whose ancient religion was Zoroastrianism By my estimates if that religion today only controlled Iran, It would be 400 times bigger! Currently around 200,000 people.

2.2 It greatly weakened the Byzantine empire, taking its north-African and Asian provinces, and the Turks, who inherited the conquests though conversion, ended the empire in 1453. Goodbye Rome, and welcome Turkey.

2.3 This war had the greatest impact on Iberia of any war, if you ask me. It ended Visigothic rule in Spain, ruled the region for 800 years, and created the modern day countries. Spain was created by Northern Iberians who survived the initial hammer-blow. Some of its culture and language comes from the Arab invaders. Portugal is first mentioned as terriorty reclaimed from the Arabs, named after a captured port city. Thus I dare you to find a war more important than the one which literally birthed every country there!

2.4 India was progressively invaded starting in these conquests. Not only did it shatter the Empires already there, but it Islamified the North and caused several strong Indo-Muslim empires, such as the Mughals who fought the British. There would be no Pakistan or Bangladesh without these conquests, and arguably a very different India. No Biryani food either, which Napoleon Bonaparte says is very tasty. Invented by Muslims in the medieval ages. Thus I argue that the History of the entire Indian subcontinent was drastically altered, with all three modern countries owing their roots to this war.

2.5 the Middle East and North Africa was arabified, with Arabs previously living mostly within the Arabian peninsula. From Algiers to the gates of Persia, there was a unifiying language and religion.

To conclude part 1, Iberia and India and all of Western Asia would look completely different without these conquests, and many cultures and regions ceased to exist. For example, The
Coptic Christians, who are 10% of Egypt today, possess the latest form of the Ancient Egyptian language (demotic-Coptic hey?) though like the rest of Egypt they use Arabic outside of Church.