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Why did Maximilian I marry Mary of Burgundy in 1477?

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Stone ruins of Habsburg Castle, also known as Habichtsburg, stand on a hill above green vineyards in Aargau canton, Switzerland, with a flag flying atop the tower. — House of Habsburg Ruins of the castle of Habsburg, or Habichtsburg (“Hawk's Castle”), built 1020, the original seat of the house of Habsburg, Aargau canton, Switzerland.

Maximilian I married Mary of Burgundy in 1477 primarily to secure the inheritance of the Burgundian lands and to provide protection against French expansionism.

Following the death of her father, Charles the Bold, in early 1477, Mary became the duchess of Burgundy and faced immediate military pressure from the French crown, which sought to annex her territories and force her to marry the future Charles VIII. By marrying Maximilian I, who had been betrothed to her since 1476, Mary successfully resisted French influence. This strategic union brought the Netherlands under Habsburg control, eventually linking these territories with the Habsburgs' Austrian possessions and Spain through their descendants.12