Hello and welcome to the History of the Germans, Episode 230 The League of Cormbray.

It is Thursday, that can only mean another episode dealing with another epic fail of our hero, Maximilian I.

But despite a military campaign that once again failed for all the usual reasons,

no money, no strategy, no luck. This time he's rescued, not by a marriage or imperial princess

suddenly inflicted with an unlikely case of backbone, but by his daughter, Margaret Ardutch,

Duchess of Austria, Dowager, Duchess of Savoy and Governor of the Netherlands.

In an age that featured a number of impressive women.

From Caterina Svoza to Elizabeth I, Margaret I,

Margaret may be lesser known, but could easily hold her own amongst such illustrious company.

She brought together an alliance that rescued her father's lands,

re-established imperial power in northern Italy,

and brought the mighty Republic of Venice almost to collapse.

And then did it again, again, and once more.

Meanwhile, her father first made himself emperor in the least impressive ceremony ever,

before throwing his head in the ring to become the Pope.

On that bombshell, we should probably wind back to the year 1506.

On September 25, 1506, Maximilian's only son in great hope for the future, Philip

the Hanson died.

Now this was a massive blow to the House of Habsburg.

Instantly, the most valuable assets of the family, the low countries and Spain, were at risk of being lost.

Hence the number one priority had to be to shore up power in Flanders and Castile.

One would expect Maximia to settle his horse and ride hard for Gant, whilst focusing

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