The New Zealand Wars

The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872. The wars were fought over a number of issues, the most prominent concerning Māori land being sold to the settler population.

The Māori King Movement (also known as the Kingitanga Movement) began resisting the purchase of their land by British settlers, in some cases resulting in violence. These disputes sowed the seeds of eventual war between Kingitanga Māori, with their supporters, and the British and New Zealand governments, with the support of allied Māori