Unknown wars where history was at stake

War is one of the prime motivators of history, as if the last 100 or so years haven't taught us that. We are aware of the major wars where the history of the world was at stake-the Seven Years War, the Russo Japanese War, World Wars, the proxy conflicts of the Cold War, etc.

But of course, just because we don't know about unknown events doesn't mean they didn't happen. Even if they didn't impact the world at large, wars have the potential to change a country or through a butterfly effect, a region forever with the changes being irreversible in most cases.

So in your experience, what are wars that you know of and had the potential to change history forever, but are simply unknown to the general public?

One more thing. When I say 'history is at stake', I mean the war had the potential to change world (or national or regional) history forever. I know phrasing it like that makes it sound dramatic, but I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.
 
Battle of the River Allia and the Sack of Rome, 390 BC. The Roman public were certainly aware of it. The modern day public? Not so much.
 
The 17th century Beaver Wars, which established Iroquois supremacy over many of the (French-aligned) nations of what is now Canada and the Midwest. A much weaker Iroquois Confederacy has enormous knock-on effects on subsequent English and French colonization efforts and the various wars between those states during the 18th century.

It also has large ethnological and linguistic effects, as survivors of the defeated nations were often integrated into the Iroquois and other tribes, assimilating into them and losing their own languages and cultures, most of which are now completely lost.
 
I suppose, the Battle of Tollense in the Late Bronze Age was world-changing, looking at its dimensions. But we know next to nothing about it.
 
The little Anglo-French war of 1629-1633, which led to French Canada falling to an English expedition.

Unfortunately Queen Henrietta Maria's dowry was in arrears, and Charles I gave Canada back as part of a deal to get it paid. Could have changed American history quite a bit, and saved a lot of fighting, had he chosen to keep Canada in lieu of the money.
 
War is one of the prime motivators of history, as if the last 100 or so years haven't taught us that. We are aware of the major wars where the history of the world was at stake-the Seven Years War, the Russo Japanese War, World Wars, the proxy conflicts of the Cold War, etc.

But of course, just because we don't know about unknown events doesn't mean they didn't happen. Even if they didn't impact the world at large, wars have the potential to change a country or through a butterfly effect, a region forever with the changes being irreversible in most cases.

So in your experience, what are wars that you know of and had the potential to change history forever, but are simply unknown to the general public?

One more thing. When I say 'history is at stake', I mean the war had the potential to change world (or national or regional) history forever. I know phrasing it like that makes it sound dramatic, but I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.
How about the Franco-Dutch war? I think it is probably rather obscure outside the Netherlands and France and honestly, not that well known in the Netherlands either (not sure about France though, but fighting the Netherlands does not seem like something the French would realy care for, not impressive enough). The destruction of the Dutch republic and annexation of the southern Netherlands by France would have had major consequences for early modern Europe.
 
The wars of the ancient Israelite kingdom. If Israel gets destroyed sooner, that quite likely butterflies away Judaism, which in turn butterflies away Christianity and Islam. Without these religions, the world would be completely unrecognisable today.
 
The Chinese suppression of Kashgaria - without it, Kashgar could have ended up being defeated and occupied by the Russians, or becoming tributary to the British (who bordered it i Kashmir). The Chinese victory ensured that we now know as Sinkiang remained a part of China, rather than being annexed by Russia or becoming an associate part of the British Empire
 
The Chinese suppression of Kashgaria - without it, Kashgar could have ended up being defeated and occupied by the Russians, or becoming tributary to the British (who bordered it i Kashmir). The Chinese victory ensured that we now know as Sinkiang remained a part of China, rather than being annexed by Russia or becoming an associate part of the British Empire

Russia seized Kuldja (which had declared independence) and only returned it after the Chinese reconquest of Kashgaria, and even then Russia suggested that China hand over Kashgar in payment of money owed.

Kashgaria's leader had at some point or points suggested alliance with Britain, which usually in this period led to eventual take-over.

If Kashgaria had been lost to China, then Dzungaria is untenable - it's going to Russia. If Britain gets into Kashgar then Tibet and eventually even Kokonor become untenable for the Chinese

The Chinese reconquest of Kashgaria kept a MASSIVE amount of territory Chinese that would otherwise have gone to Russia and/or Britain

(rereading the thread starter post, I thought I would clarify why to me this war was that important)
 
The campaigns of Pharaoh Ramesses III against the invading Sea Peoples coalition, if those murals are to be trusted. A hypothetical fall of Egypt alongside the other states that mostly perished in the Bronze Age Collapse would lead to massive butterflies -- perhaps Lower Egypt (the Nile delta) goes independent and develops a distinct, more "mediterranean" identity?
 
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