Accession & Reign
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.
In 1488, he was held in captive in Bruges for about three months. He was set free only after his father approached with a large force.
In 1490, in order to surround France, he made a treaty with Francis II, Duke of Brittany by marrying the latter’s daughter Duchess Anne of Brittany. During his initial years of rule, greater part of Austria was under Hungarian rule. By 1490, he successfully re-conquered the lost territory of Austria and entered Vienna.
The seizure of Hungary made him a candidate for the vacant Hungarian throne. When Vladislas (Ulászló) II of Bohemia was elected to the throne, Maximilian waged a successful campaign against Vladislas. It resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Pressburg in 1491 as per which the succession to Bohemia and Hungary would pass to the Habsburgs if Vladislas left no male heir.
In 1493, the Treaty of Senlis was signed which marked the end of conflict with Netherlands and France. Meanwhile through his cousin archduke Sigismund, the county of Tirol was added to his list of possessions. Soon, the district became his favourite place of residence.
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Following his father Frederick III’s death in 1493, Maximilian became the head of the Holy Roman Empire. Following year, he married Bianca Maria Sforza, daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. The marriage was basically to hinder King Louis XII’s claim for the Duchy of Milan. Yet again a conflict between Maximilian and Louis XII arose but the former was unable to curb the French take over.
In 1495, Maximilian allied himself with the Holy League, involving Spain, Venice and Milan to drive out the French, whose invasion of Italy had disrupted the balance of power in Europe. The league successfully drove out the French from Italy.
Just like himself, Maximilian made marriage alliance of his son and daughter to strengthen the Habsburg Empire. In 1495, he married his son to Spanish infant, Joan and in 1497, betrothed his daughter Margaret to the Spanish crown Prince. Both the marriages were basically to allow his succession in Spain and control over the Spanish colonies.
Maximilian’s continuous attempt at strengthening the empire and his invasions of France did not go well with the public. Demand for deep reform rose to preserve the unity of the Empire. This resulted in the launch of Reichskammergericht, a new body that was largely independent from Emperor.
To adhere to the demand from local rulers for independence and strengthening of the territorial rule, Maximilian encouraged building up of a new organ, Reichsregiment. It consisted of deputies of the Emperor, local rulers, commoners, and the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire who aimed at granting greater powers to local rulers. However, the organ failed and Maximilian regained absolute power in 1502.
Meanwhile, in 1499, he fought an unsuccessful war against the Swiss who in turn won an important victory at the Battle of Dornach. The victory resulted in granting independence to the Swiss confederacy from the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1504, he strengthened the European position by an agreement with France. Furthermore, he made impressive victory in the war against Bavaria and the Rhenish Palatinate.
In 1508, with the assent of Pope Julius II, he became the elected Roman Emperor, thus ending the customary tradition of the Holy Roman Emperor being crowned by the pope. Same year, he entered the League of Cambrai with France, Spain and Pope to partition the Republic of Venice. However, his lack of financial means led him to become an unreliable partner of the alliance.
In 1513, with the assistance from Henry VIII of England, he made an important victory at the Battle of Spurs against his arch-rivals, French. However, the victorious league was followed by a massive debacle in 1515 that thwarted Maximilian’s effort to regain Milan. The failed attempt led to the signing of the Treaty of Brussels according to which Milan was granted to the French and Verona to the Venetians.
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Much like his previous attempts, Maximilian successfully arranged marriage between members of the Habsburg family and the Hungarian royal house, in order to strengthen the Habsburg position in Hungary and Bohemia
Towards the end of his life, Maximilian diverted his energy towards succession rights of Charles V, his grandson. In order to secure the throne to the Habsburg House and prevent Francis I of France from taking over, he campaigned extensively, bribing people massively.
Personal Life & Legacy
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.
From his marriage to Mary of Burgundy, Maximilian had two children, Philip the Handsome and Margaret of Austria. Like himself, he arranged marriages and betrothal of both his children in order to strengthen the Habsburg House.
In 1501, he met with an accident by falling from his horse. He never fully recovered from it, sustaining crucial pain for the rest of his life.
He breathed his last on January 12, 1519, at Wels in Upper Austria. He was buried in Georgskirche at Wiener Neustadt. A magnificent tomb at the Hofkirche in Innsbruck was completed later.
Facts About Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I was a skilled diplomat and strategist, known for his ability to navigate the complex political landscape of his time.
He was a patron of the arts, commissioning many famous works including the Triumphal Arch in Innsbruck, which is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance art.
Maximilian I was a great lover of horses and hunting, and was known for his passion for equestrian sports.
He was the first Holy Roman Emperor to establish a standing army, modernizing the military forces of the empire.
Maximilian I was a polyglot, fluent in several languages including German, Italian, and Latin, allowing him to communicate effectively with a wide range of people in his diverse empire.
