Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian married Mary of Burgundy on August 16, 1477. The marriage was more of a political alliance rather than a mere love relationship. Mary was the daughter of Charles the Bold, a political rival of Maximilian’s father, Frederick III. The marriage consolidated the family power and reputation by helping Maximilian acquire the vast Burgundian possessions in Netherlands and on the eastern border of France.

In 1490, he married Anne of Brittany by proxy. However, the marriage was dissolved two years later, following forceful insistence by French King Charles VIII on Anne to renounce her contract and marry him.

In 1493, he married Bianca Maria Sforza. The marriage gained Maximilian imperial rights over Milan and also enhanced his financial standing in the society through large dowry.

Maximilian was born on March 22, 1459, at Wiener Neustadt, to Frederick III, Holy Roman Empire and Eleanor of Portugal.

Young Maximilian’s life was tied to building power and reputation for the family. For the same, he married Mary of Burgundy, in 1477, in order to curb military conflict with her father Charles the Bold and acquire the vast Burgundian possessions for his House of Habsburg.

Almost immediately after acquiring the Duchy of Burgundy, Maximilian defended the new empire from the military attack of the French forces, defeating Louis XI at the Battle of Guinegate on August 7, 1479.

As per the agreement before marriage, the right to inherit the Duchy of Burgundy was restricted to the couple’s children and neither of the surviving parent could acquire the same after the other’s death. As such, following Mary’s untimely death in 1482, Maximilian’s position weakened as the inheritance passed on to his son, Philip the Handsome.

The declining state of power of Maximilian aggravated political pressure. Though he claimed to be recognized as the guardian of Philip and regent of Netherlands, his demands were not adhered to. Furthermore, Maximilian was compelled to assent to the treaty of Arras in 1482 between the states of the Netherlands and Louis XI, thus giving up Franche-Comté and Artois to the French crown.

In February 1486, Maximilian was elected as the King of Romans. The coronation was held in April in Aachen.

Maximilian I most important contribution in his life came in as the King of Romans and Holy Roman Empire. Though he jointly ruled with his father for a decade since 1483, his appointment in 1493 made him execute his plans to expand the House of Habsburg significantly. All through his life, Maximilian waged war and married women who indirectly assisted him in his expansion plans. It was under his reign that the Habsburg dynasty expanded significantly occupying Burgundy, Netherlands, Spain, Milan, Hungary and so on.