How did the Burgundian dukes unite much of the Low Countries?

The Burgundian dukes united much of the Low Countries primarily through a combination of strategic marriages, inheritance, war, and purchase. This process began in 1369 with the marriage of Philip II the Bold to Margaret, the heiress of the count of Flanders, which brought Flanders, Artois, and other territories under his control by 1384.1

Subsequent dukes expanded this power base:
* Inheritance and Diplomacy: Through family successions, the dukes acquired territories such as Brabant, which was later consolidated under Philip III the Good.1
* Military and Financial Acquisition: Philip the Good further expanded the union to include Hainaut-Holland, Namur, and Luxembourg through war and purchase.1
* Centralization Efforts: To bridge the differences between these diverse principalities, the dukes established central institutions, such as the States-General and regional courts, and appointed stadtholders to enforce administrative and judicial control.1

While this created a powerful personal union, it was not a unified state, as each region jealously guarded its own local privileges and institutions.1