Why did Maximilian I struggle with financial problems despite his military and political ambitions?

Maximilian I, Holy Roman emperor, faced persistent financial struggles primarily due to the immense costs of his ambitious foreign policy and military ventures, which often ended in failure or required expensive, ongoing campaigns. His efforts to expand Habsburg influence through war—including conflicts in Italy, against the Swiss, and against France—frequently left him without sufficient funds or troops, leading to his reputation as an unreliable ally.12

Furthermore, Maximilian’s ability to raise revenue was severely constrained by the Imperial Diet, where princes resisted his attempts to strengthen central authority and taxation. This political deadlock forced him to rely on extra-constitutional financial commissions and heavy borrowing from powerful merchant dynasties, most notably the Fugger family. While these credit arrangements provided necessary capital for his immediate needs, they underscored his lack of a stable, independent imperial treasury, leaving his grand political and dynastic ambitions perpetually dependent on external financing and tenacious negotiation.123