Lands of the Duke of Burgundy

(Today part of : western and southern Netherland, Luxemburg, western and central Belgium, parts of central and northern France)

In mid-14^th century members of the branch of the French royal dynasty of Valois (1363 – 1477) became dukes of Burgundy, and they did not have the intention of bringing their lands under the French royal domain. Moreover, they became dangerous rivals to the main branch. In the 15^th century, the House of Valois of Burgundy expanded its rule through marriage pacts to a myriad of smaller duchies, counties, principalities, autonomous cities, and prince-bishoprics that lay in the territories west from the Rheine, from Upper Burgundy in the valley of the River Saône in the south, towards the counties of Flanders and Holland, by the North Sea. Nevertheless, all of them recognized the supreme rule of the Emperor or the King of France.

During the 1470s the Duke of Burgundy Charles (ruled 1467 – 1477) entered the war for the land of Alsace, then the wars against the free royal cities in the Upper Rhine area, which were supported by Swiss mercenaries, and after that, wars against the Duke of Lorraine. All of these parties would also form mutual pacts at times, as well as receive help from the French king. Charles died in battle in 1477, which also marked the disappearance of his male line. He left his legacy to his still unmarried daughter, whichmeant the continuance of the fighting, but this time between the French king and the Habsburgs – first came a marriage with the daughter, and then the war for succession (1477 – 1493). Both sides came out of the war with territorial gains, although the Habsburgs gained a larger prize (Flanders, Holland, Brabant, Lorraine, etc.). This important success in the lands of Burgundy enabled the Habsburgs to rise to become a world power, but had also set the foundations for the dynastic conflicts with the House of Valois for centuries to come.