The Longest and the Shortest War in the World History
Zanzibar is a small island near Tanzania which, in the present day, is under its control. But in the 1890s, Zanzibar was under the influence of the British Empire.
The British had placed a “puppet ruler” Sultan Hamad Bin Thuwaini, who passed away in the year 1896. After the Sultan’s death, his brother Khalid Bin Barghash took over the palace and began his rule without any approval or consultation from the British.
A warning was given by the British followed by a final ultimatum on 26th August 1896. Khalid was told to evacuate the palace by 9 in the morning of the very next day. However, at 8 AM, Khalid announced that he did not intend to give up, not taking seriously the ultimatum given.
At exactly 9 AM, The British ships were given orders to fire at the palace. At about 9:02, most of the artillery possessed by Khalid was destroyed. The palace too began to fall apart due to being held by wooden frames. Around 2 minutes into the firing, Khalid had already fled the place, leaving only his servants and fighters to defend the palace.
 By 9:40, when the shelling had stopped, the Sultan’s flag had already been taken down symbolizing victory for the British. And therefore, a whole war lasting only for 38 minutes came to an end and became the shortest war in the world, fought ever in history.
The longest war in history: The Reconquista
The longest war in history was known by The Reconquista which lasted for 781 years. The Reconquista (Spanish for Reconquest) began around the year 711 AD and ended in 1492 AD.
The Reconquista was a centuries-long series of battles by Christian kingdoms to expel the Muslims (Moors), who had ruled most of the Iberian Peninsula since the 8th century.
War began between Christian Spaniards and Muslims in Iberia and gradually other nations joined in and began fighting for Hispania.
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