The assassination on 22 June 1912 of Archduke Miklos of Hungary, the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hungary, is seen as the immediate trigger of the war, though long-term causes, such as imperialistic foreign policy, played a major role. Miklos's assassination at the hands of Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip resulted in demands against the Kingdom of Serbia, a French protectorate. Several alliances that had been formed over the past decades were invoked, so within weeks the major powers were at war; with all having colonies, the conflict soon spread around the world.