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Why did Maximilian I marry Anne of Brittany by proxy?

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Maximilian I married Duchess Anne of Brittany by proxy in 1490 primarily as a strategic move to surround France and strengthen his position against French influence.1

For Anne, the marriage was a desperate attempt to secure an alliance that would protect the autonomy of her duchy against French expansionism. Despite this union, the strategy was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing a French invasion of Brittany. King Charles VIII of France, fearing that the duchy would fall under the control of a foreign power, launched a military campaign that forced Anne to sever her marriage with Maximilian and wed the French king instead.21