At first he sought to live with the colonists. As a sachem, he took the lead in much of his tribes trade with the colonies. He adopted the European name of Philip, and bought his clothes in Boston. But the colonies continued to expand. To the west, the Iroquois Confederation continued to push hostile tribes that encroached on his territory.
Finally, in 1671 the colonial leaders of the Plymouth Colony forced major concesions from him. He surrendered much of his tribe's armament and ammunition, and agreed that they were subject to English law. The encroachment continued until actual hostilities broke out in 1675. Metacomet hurried to cath up with his warriors, to lead them in the uprising that bore his name, King Philip's War.
When the war eventually turned against him, he took refuge in the great Assowamset Swamp in southern Rhode Island. Here he held out for a time, with his family and remsaining followers. He was fatally shot by another Indian, on August 12, 1676. His attacker was reported to have been paid by the English colonists. After his death, his wife and eight year old son were captured, and sold as slaves in the Caribbean.