Maximilian I Becomes Holy Roman Emperor

1493

On his father Frederick III's death, Maximilian inherited the imperial title. The Habsburg dream of continental dominance now rested on a prince who wrote poetry, designed armor, and juggled half a dozen bankruptcies at once. His marriages and his debts would together reshape Europe over the coming decades. His strategic marriages would join Habsburg blood to the royal houses of Spain, Burgundy, and Hungary, reshaping European politics.