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The Bloodiest Civil War In History

A bloody trophy to hold

Grant Piper
5 min readSep 6, 2023
(Public domain)

There have been numerous horrific civil wars throughout history. Civil wars are some of the deadliest types of wars in history, from famous conflicts such as the American Civil War to modern conflicts such as the Syrian Civil War. Despite the high profile nature of civil wars, the bloodiest civil war in history is one of the least known. It took place in 19th-century China and saw millions die over the course of fourteen long years.

The bloodiest civil war in history was the Taiping Rebellion. It saw the theocratic regime of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom attempt to topple the entrenched Qing Dynasty. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom blended nationalism, religion, and mythology into a potent brew that quickly exploded into a lethal problem for the Qing.

Background

During the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty faced severe problems of every imaginable source. There were a series of famines that heavily affected the large peasant population. China lost multiple wars to marauding foreign powers, which weakened the image of the state at home. There were also massive floods and droughts, which devastated the population. It left the ground ripe for rebellion.

At the same time, a man by the name of Hong Huoxiu was struggling in his personal life. The…

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Grant Piper
Grant Piper

Written by Grant Piper

Professional writer. Amateur historian. Husband, father, Christian.

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