Faith as a Weapon: 32 Shocking Examples of Religion Justifying Conquest

Chuvic - May 27, 2025

Throughout history, religious justifications have served as powerful tools for conquest and colonization. These examples show how faith was often twisted to serve political and economic interests. From medieval crusades to modern imperialism, these instances reveal a pattern of using spiritual beliefs to mask worldly ambitions. Let’s examine these historical moments that shaped our global landscape through the lens of religious pretexts.

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Ancient Assyrian Empire (911-609 BCE)

Assyrian kings claimed divine mandate from their god Ashur for brutal military campaigns across Mesopotamia. Their stone inscriptions described conquest as religious duty to spread Ashur’s dominion throughout known lands. Cities that resisted faced total destruction, with survivors forcibly relocated across the empire. Religious ceremonies preceded military campaigns to secure divine blessing. This religious justification supported systematic terror tactics that made Assyria one of history’s most feared military powers.

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First Crusade (1096-1099)

Pope Urban II launched the First Crusade in 1095 to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim control. Christian knights like Bohemond of Taranto marched across Europe under the banner of religious duty. The crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099 and slaughtered thousands of Muslims and Jews. Their supposed holy mission established several Crusader states across the Levant. Religious fervor provided cover for territorial expansion and political control.

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Northern Crusades Against Baltic Pagans (1147-1410)

Pope Eugene III called for crusades against pagan peoples of northeastern Europe in 1147. German and Danish knights attacked Slavic, Baltic, and Finnish tribes to forcibly convert them to Christianity. Crusaders slaughtered resisters while claiming to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission. The Livonian Brothers of the Sword massacred villages that refused baptism. The Teutonic Order declared divine right to colonize these “heathen lands.” Local populations faced brutal subjugation or death in God’s name.

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Spanish Reconquista (711-1492)

The Reconquista began after Muslim forces conquered Visigothic Spain. Christians slowly pushed back through battles like Covadonga in 722. The campaign lasted nearly eight centuries until Ferdinand and Isabella captured Granada in 1492. The Pope supported this long struggle as a religious obligation. This religious war created a militant Catholic identity in Spain that later fueled the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spanish lands.

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Aztec Empire Expansion (1428-1521)

Aztec rulers justified their conquests as divine mandate from their war god Huitzilopochtli. Priests interpreted omens and performed rituals before military campaigns began. Imperial armies captured thousands of prisoners from surrounding city-states for sacrificial ceremonies. Religious doctrine taught that the sun would cease rising without blood offerings. The empire’s tributary system extracted wealth from conquered peoples. Religious obligation provided sacred justification for imperial domination across central Mexico.

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Spanish Colonization of Americas (1492-1800s)

Columbus sailed west with blessing from Spanish Catholic monarchs. The conquerors read the “Requerimiento” document to indigenous peoples, demanding conversion or war. Pope Alexander VI granted Spain evangelization rights through his 1493 bull. Spanish forces defeated mighty Aztec and Inca empires while priests baptized natives. The religious mission masked the brutal encomienda system that exploited native peoples and their resources.

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Portuguese Conquest of Ceuta (1415)

Prince Henry the Navigator led Portuguese forces against the North African Muslim stronghold of Ceuta. They captured the city on August 21, 1415, with Pope Martin V’s blessing. The victory marked the start of Portuguese overseas expansion beyond Europe. Religious rhetoric about fighting Islamic influence drummed up support for the campaign. Portugal’s true goal focused on controlling vital trade routes across the Mediterranean.

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French Conquest of Vietnam (1858-1885)

Emperor Minh Mạng’s anti-Christian policies led to missionary Pierre Dumoulin-Borie’s execution in 1838. Napoleon III cited this religious persecution when sending Admiral Rigault de Genouilly to capture Saigon in 1859. France gradually expanded control across Vietnam through military force. By 1885, French authorities established protectorates over Tonkin and Annam. The religious pretext enabled France to exploit Vietnamese resources while supporting Catholic missions.

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British Colonization of India (1757-1947)

The East India Company seized control after defeating Bengal forces at Plassey in 1757. British missionaries arrived in the 1790s, condemning practices like sati. Religious differences partly sparked the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny against British rule. The Crown then took direct control of India, framing their dominance as a civilizing Christian mission. This religious justification masked Britain’s extraction of wealth from the subcontinent.

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Scramble for Africa (1880s-1914)

European powers carved up Africa at the 1884 Berlin Conference. Missionaries like David Livingstone promoted Christianity alongside commerce in colonies like Rhodesia. Europeans claimed a divine mandate to civilize the continent through the “White Man’s Burden” concept. By 1914, Europeans controlled 90 percent of Africa. Religious missions often provided cover for brutal exploitation, such as King Leopold’s atrocities in Congo.

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Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229)

Pope Innocent III declared war against Cathar heretics in southern France after his legate’s murder in 1208. Simon de Montfort led Catholic forces that sacked Béziers in 1209, massacring thousands. Crusaders showed no mercy, reportedly killing both Catholics and Cathars. The campaign successfully eliminated the Cathar faith from the region. It also conveniently annexed wealthy Languedoc lands to the French crown.

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Portuguese Colonization of Goa (1510)

Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate in November 1510. The Portuguese established the notorious Goa Inquisition in 1560 to suppress non-Catholic faiths. They destroyed Hindu temples and forced mass conversions of local populations. Portuguese authorities built churches on temple sites to symbolize Christian dominance. The religious campaign supported Portugal’s control over the lucrative spice trade routes.

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Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople (1453)

Sultan Mehmed II besieged Constantinople for 53 days before capturing the Byzantine capital. Ottoman forces breached the walls on May 29, 1453, ending the thousand-year Byzantine Empire. Mehmed converted the magnificent Hagia Sophia cathedral into a mosque. He proclaimed the city an Islamic capital to fulfill religious prophecy. The conquest secured Ottoman control over critical trade routes between Europe and Asia.

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English Conquest of Ireland (1169-1600s)

The Norman invasion began with Dermot MacMurrough’s appeal for help, supported by Pope Adrian IV’s blessing. Tudor monarchs intensified the conquest, imposing Protestantism on Catholic Ireland. The Nine Years’ War (1594-1603) crushed Irish resistance. English authorities established Protestant plantations in Ulster, displacing Catholic landowners. Religious differences fueled centuries of conflict that shaped Irish history.

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Russian Expansion into Siberia (1580s-1800s)

Yermak Timofeyevich’s 1581 expedition against the Khanate of Sibir opened Siberia to Russian control. By the 1700s, Orthodox missionaries worked to convert indigenous tribes like the Chukchi. Russian fur traders followed, establishing outposts across the vast territory. The Orthodox Church baptized native peoples while suppressing their traditional spiritual practices. Russia’s eastward expansion eventually reached the Pacific Ocean, creating a massive empire.

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Dutch Colonization of Indonesia (1600s-1949)

The Dutch East India Company seized Jakarta in 1619 and renamed it Batavia. Protestant missionaries targeted Muslim sultanates like Banten throughout the archipelago. Their conversion efforts achieved limited success against established Islamic communities. The company focused primarily on controlling the spice trade rather than religious conversion. Dutch colonial rule continued until Indonesian independence after World War II.

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Spanish Conquest of the Philippines (1565-1898)

Miguel López de Legazpi established Manila in 1571 as a Spanish base. Augustinian friars led conversion efforts across the islands, teaching Catholicism to native populations. The 1593 Doctrina Christiana standardized religious instruction in local languages. Spanish authorities suppressed indigenous animist practices while building churches. The colonial system blended religious authority with political control, reshaping Filipino society for centuries.

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Early Muslim Conquests (632-750)

Islamic armies surged from Arabia after Prophet Muhammad’s death, defeating Byzantine forces at Yarmouk in 636. The Rashidun Caliphs conquered vast territories across the Middle East, Persia, and North Africa. The Umayyad dynasty pushed into Spain by 711, spreading Islamic rule. Religious duty to expand dar al-Islam (House of Islam) motivated these campaigns. Economic incentives like jizya taxes and land grants attracted warriors to the cause.

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Teutonic Crusades in the Baltic (13th-14th centuries)

The Teutonic Knights launched the Prussian Crusade in the 1230s with Pope Gregory IX’s approval. They brutally subdued pagan Baltic tribes, establishing frontier cities like Königsberg. The military religious order controlled vast territories by the 1300s. Their campaigns combined genuine religious fervor with German colonization efforts. The crusades fundamentally altered the ethnic and religious composition of the Baltic region.

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French Colonization of Algeria (1830-1962)

France invaded Algiers in 1830, using the “Fan Affair” diplomatic incident as justification. By 1848, France had declared Algeria an integral part of France. Catholic settlers displaced Muslim communities while missionaries worked to convert locals. The 1871 Mokrani Revolt erupted against French religious and cultural impositions. Colonial authorities confiscated Muslim religious properties and restricted Islamic education throughout their rule.

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British Occupation of Egypt (1882-1956)

Britain occupied Egypt after defeating Egyptian forces at Tel el-Kebir in 1882. The strategic value of the Suez Canal drove the invasion, though protecting Coptic Christians was cited. British officials controlled Egyptian finances and government while maintaining a military presence. They portrayed themselves as defenders of Western religious values against Islamic extremism. British influence continued until Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956.

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Belgian Colonization of the Congo (1885-1908)

King Leopold II established the Congo Free State through the Berlin Conference, using Christian missions as justification. Missionaries built schools and churches while Leopold’s agents imposed brutal rubber quotas. Roger Casement’s 1904 report exposed atrocities that killed millions of Congolese people. The humanitarian scandal forced Belgium to take direct control from Leopold. Religious rhetoric about “civilizing” Africa masked one of history’s worst colonial exploitations.

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Japanese Invasion of Korea (1592-1598)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched the Imjin War with 160,000 troops invading Korea in April 1592. Japanese Shinto-Buddhist rhetoric portrayed Japan as a divine land with cultural superiority. The ultimate goal aimed at conquering Ming China through the Korean peninsula. Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s innovative “turtle ships” helped Korean forces resist the invasions. Religious justifications masked straightforward territorial ambitions.

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Mughal Conquest of India (1526-1700s)

Babur established the Mughal Empire after his victory at Panipat in 1526. Early emperors like Akbar promoted religious tolerance across the diverse subcontinent. Later ruler Aurangzeb imposed strict Islamic sharia law, alienating Hindu subjects. Religious rhetoric justified continual expansion into new territories. The empire’s approach to religion evolved pragmatically as different emperors pursued varying policies toward Hindu populations.

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Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire (1532-1572)

Francisco Pizarro captured Emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca in 1532, demanding his conversion before execution. Dominican friars systematically destroyed Inca shrines and religious sites. They built Catholic churches on sacred locations like Coricancha in Cusco. The fall of Vilcabamba in 1572 ended the last Inca resistance. Spanish conquerors used religious conversion to justify their seizure of vast Inca gold reserves.

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British Colonization of Australia (1788-1901)

The First Fleet established a penal colony at Botany Bay in 1788. Anglican missionaries like Samuel Marsden targeted Aboriginal spiritual beliefs as heathen practices. European diseases and land theft devastated indigenous populations across the continent. Mission stations sought to “civilize” Aboriginal people by erasing their cultural identities. Religious conversion became a tool for dispossessing the original inhabitants of their lands.

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German Colonization of Namibia (1884-1915)

Germany declared South West Africa a protectorate in 1884, sending Lutheran missionaries alongside settlers. German forces targeted Herero and Nama tribes who resisted colonial rule. The 1904-1908 genocide killed approximately 80% of the Herero population. Colonial authorities justified the slaughter as suppressing pagan resistance to Christian civilization. Religious rhetoric masked the brutal seizure of tribal lands for German settlement.

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Italian Invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1936)

Mussolini launched his Ethiopian campaign on October 3, 1935, using chemical weapons against defenders. The Italian dictator portrayed his invasion as a crusade bringing Christian civilization to Africa. Catholic Church leaders initially supported the war despite Ethiopia’s ancient Christian traditions. Italy faced international sanctions from the League of Nations for its naked aggression. Religious justifications failed to mask Italy’s imperial ambitions.

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Portuguese Colonization of Angola (1575-1975)

Portugal established Luanda in 1575 as a colonial outpost on Africa’s west coast. Jesuit missionaries converted the Kongo Kingdom to Catholicism by the early 1600s. The lucrative slave trade and coffee plantations drove Portuguese economic interests. Religious conversion provided moral cover for centuries of exploitation. Angola finally gained independence in 1975 after a long struggle against colonial rule.

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Wahhabist Expansion in Arabia (1744-1818)

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab formed an alliance with Muhammad bin Saud to purify Islam according to their strict interpretation. Their combined religious-military campaign conquered neighboring Arabian tribes through force. Wahhabi fighters destroyed Shia shrines and Sufi tombs as “idolatrous innovations” forbidden by Allah. Towns that refused their austere version of Islam faced violent subjugation. Religious police enforced rigid social codes after conquests. This divine mission established Saudi power across much of the peninsula.

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Zulu Kingdom Expansion (1810s-1830s)

Shaka unified scattered tribes into the powerful Zulu nation through military innovations. He legitimized conquests through ancestral religious traditions and spiritual authority. The 1818 Battle of Gqokli Hill demonstrated his tactical brilliance against rivals. The resulting Mfecane wars displaced millions across southern Africa. Zulu religious rituals reinforced royal authority while justifying territorial expansion at neighbors’ expense.

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Mormon Settlement of Utah (1847-1890)

Brigham Young led Mormon pioneers to the Great Salt Lake, claiming divine revelation guided them to this “promised land.” Settlers viewed Native American displacement as fulfilling God’s plan for his chosen people. Church doctrine taught that Indigenous peoples would become “white and delightsome” through conversion. Religious authority structured the new territory’s government and land distribution. God’s instructions supposedly justified armed conflicts with federal authorities and native tribes.

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Conclusion

These 27 historical examples reveal a disturbing pattern of using religion to justify conquest and colonization. Whether Christian crusaders in Jerusalem, Muslim caliphs in Persia, or European imperialists in Africa, powerful groups consistently weaponized faith to advance political and economic goals. By understanding how religious pretexts have masked territorial ambitions throughout history, we can better recognize similar patterns today. The legacy of these conquests continues to shape our modern world through ongoing conflicts, borders, and cultural tensions.

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