Seven Years' War
Global great-power war fought in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, West Africa and India.
Historical overview
Overview adapted from a Wikipedia summary and stored locally on May 11, 2026.
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a global war fought by numerous great powers, primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and the Indian subcontinent. The warring states were Great Britain and Prussia fighting against France and Austria, with other countries joining these coalitions: Portugal, Spain, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia. Related conflicts include the Third Silesian War, French and Indian War, Third Carnatic War, Anglo-Spanish War (1762–1763), and Spanish–Portuguese War. Winston Churchill later famously referred to the conflict as the "First World War" due to its truly global scale, with major campaigns spanning four continents.
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Border context
Balance of power and colonial war
European great powers fight succession and colonial wars while Russia rises and Sweden declines in the Baltic.
The Spanish succession settlement reshapes European dynastic geography. The Seven Years' War changes colonial control in North America and India.