Iwagakure was founded after the Warring States Period by the First Tsuchikage, who united several warring clans together under one banner. Shortly after the formation of their villages, Konoha's First Hokage sold tailed beasts to Iwa as a sign of friendship and to ensure a balance of power amongst their new villages. Despite this bid for peace, Madara Uchiha made efforts unsanctioned by the Hokage or the rest of Konoha to make Iwa subservient to Konoha. Relations between the villages would eventually break down, starting with Iwagakure's relative proximity with the Land of Wind and Sunagakure, which lead to countless conflicts over the years. The Second Tsuchikage and the Second Mizukage met in battle and killed each other, damaging relations with Kirigakure. The Second Shinobi World War lead to Iwagakure fighting Konohagakure and Sunagakure across Amegakure, and the Third Shinobi World War pitting Iwagakure against Konohagakure again across Kusagakure. Following the defeat of 1,000 Iwagakure shinobi in a single battle at the hands of Konoha's Fourth Hokage, the third Tsuchikage was prompted to surrender.
Even during times of peace, Iwa and its Tsuchikage have worked behind the scenes against its fellow villages, such as by using mercenaries like Akatsuki to carry out missions the village could not be directly involved in or that it lacked the resources for. Deidara, pupil of the Third Tsuchikage, stole a forbidden technique to further his artistic pursuits, and defected after using his new art to leave the village structures in shambles, becoming a terrorist bomber for hire before his forced recruitment into Akatsuki. Iwa betrayed Kiri during an incident that would come to be known as the Tragedy of Yosuga Pass; while on a joint mission against Kumo, Iwa forces killed most of its Kiri allies in order to take all the mission's spoils for itself.
Like many villages, Iwagakure eventually began sealing its tailed beasts into jinchūriki; the most recent jinchūriki of its Four-Tails was Rōshi and the most recent jinchūriki of its Five-Tails was Han. Since the Second Tsuchikage's era, they actively took part in acquiring other tailed beasts. Iwa did not hold its jinchūriki, after Han, in high regard and gratitude to Akatsuki, was happy to be captured and rid of the beast. The Third Tsuchikage's words during a Kage Summit suggest that this is not entirely true, as he calls Akatsuki's capture of both its jinchūriki an embarrassment.
Iwagakure joins the Allied Shinobi Forces during the Fourth Shinobi World War in order to oppose Akatsuki. Although initially planning to continue undermining the other villages as it has for years, conversation with the Fifth Kazekage convinces the Third Tsuchikage that Iwa has lost its way. As such, the Third advocates cooperation with the other villages and becomes personally involved in several battles in order to set an example. He even apologises to the other villages for previous actions against them that he has sanctioned. The war is eventually won and the Third's efforts become successful, as by the era of the Fourth Tsuchikage all five Kage are on good terms.
In the years that followed, however, peace would not persist within the Land of Earth. Their proximity with the Land of Wind lead to numerous conflicts after the Sixth Tsuchikage’s rule. Countless battles were fought between the two countries, typically occurring either in the Land of Claw or the Land of Fang, both of which are in poor standing with the Land of Earth as a result. This poor standing has actually lead the Land of Fang and the Land of Claw to employ the use of mercenary groups to harm Iwagakure’s trade, a practice that is long since disbanded although the remnants of banditry persist as a result.
Along with conflict between Iwagakure and Sunagakure, Iwagakure has also contested their dominance regarding metal trade with Kumogakure. Iwagakure and Kumogakure warred for nearly fifty years, in a constant state of destroying one another’s shipments of metal and ore. This conflict spanned four different Tsuchikage and one Raikage before the two eventually came to a cease fire when the Ninth Tsuchikage and the Sixth Raikage met and discussed terms of a treaty. Although the two villages put an end to the war, the hostility between them has persisted for generations since.
Although still present, crime in the form of banditry and the like has been on a harsh decline as a result of the efforts of the Sixteenth Tsuchikage, Akira Kazako. His crusade against crime was notable in decreasing it, however remnants of past wars persist, namely old mercenary groups from bordering countries. |