The first of the
French and Indian Wars,
King William's War (
1689–
97), was the
North American theater of the
War of the Grand Alliance (
1688–97) fought principally in
Europe between the armies of
France under
Louis XIV and those of a coalition of European powers including
England. King William's War started when
William III of England joined the
League of Augsburg against France. The war saw attacks by France and its native allies on British frontier settlements. The British failed to seize
Quebec, and the French commander there attacked the British-held coast. The
Treaty of Ryswick in 1697 was supposed to end the war, but peace did not last long, and shortly the colonies were embroiled in the next of the French and Indian Wars,
Queen Anne's War (
1702-
1713).