Turns out, grandpa was an amateur. The Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Years’ War between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly (a tiny archipelago off England) lasted from 1651 to 1986. That’s over three centuries. You’re probably thinking: Wait, what did they even fight over?
Believe it or not, it started by accident during the English Civil War. The Dutch, allied with the Parliamentarians, demanded reparations from the Royalist-held Scilly Isles. When the Royalists refused, the Dutch declared war. Then the Royalists surrendered a few months later. But here’s the kicker—nobody remembered to sign a peace treaty.
For 335 years, the Netherlands and Scilly were technically at war. No battles. No casualties. Just an awkward, bureaucratic zombie war that sat in a dusty file cabinet. I love that. Can you imagine getting a tax bill with a footnote that says, “Oh, and you’re still at war with a bunch of islands”?
