King William’s War is the first in a series of colonial conflicts between France and England for control over North America. The major goal, other than power, was the control of the fur trade.
William III of England, the new monarch imported from the Netherlands allied himself with the League of Augsburg (certain German states, Spain and Sweden) to oppose the French expansion. The Austrians and the Dutch also joined the fray against Louis XIV in the European phase of the conflict. In North America, hostilities had begun when Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac led attacks against English frontier outposts. French allied themselves with the indian tribes and began to raid and burn many towns in New York,New Hampshire, and Massachussettes. Peace was temporarily established in the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697.
