Feeble efforts to follow up this beginning of reform were made in subsequent Diets, but they failed owing to the insuperable jealousies of the princes and because the party of national unity lost the sympathy of the common people, to whom alone they could look for support.
Maximilian's external policy, though adventurous and unstable, was somewhat more successful.

His only principle was to grasp whatever opportunity seemed to offer.

Thus at one time he seriously proposed to have himself elected pope.

His marriage with Mary, the daughter of Charles the Bold, added to the estates of his house Burgundy--the land comprising what is now Belgium, Luxemburg, most of Holland and large portions of north-eastern France.

On the death of Mary, in 1482, Maximilian had much trouble in getting himself acknowledged as regent of her lands for their son Philip the Handsome.