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How did Mary of Burgundy’s marriage to Maximilian of Habsburg affect Burgundy’s future?
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Burgundy
Burgundy (Bourgogne), historical region of France.
Mary of Burgundy’s marriage to the Austrian archduke Maximilian of Habsburg in 1477 fundamentally altered the trajectory of the Burgundian lands by shifting them into the Habsburg sphere of influence, effectively thwarting French ambitions to absorb the territory.12
The consequences of this union included:
- Habsburg Control: The marriage resulted in the Netherlands coming under Habsburg control.1
- Dynastic Expansion: Through the subsequent marriage of Mary’s son, Philip the Handsome, to Joanna the Mad of Spain, these territories were eventually joined with Spain and the Austrian Habsburg possessions under her grandson, the emperor Charles V.1
- Franche-Comté: Following the Treaty of Senlis in 1493, Franche-Comté became a Habsburg possession for the next 185 years, remaining under their control until its eventual conquest by France in 1678.2
- Duchy Annexation: While the broader Burgundian state transitioned to Habsburg influence, the duchy of Burgundy itself was annexed by the French crown following the death of Charles the Bold in 1477.2