Maximilian I laid the foundation for the Habsburg Empire through heritage, wars and marriages. Especially the Tyrol was considerably enlarged during his reign. In 1490, he took over the governance in the Tyrol from Duke Sigismund and started to expand the residence in Innsbruck, to revitalize the country, to promote mining and coining and to establish a considerable arm industry. In 1500, Lienz and the Pustertal were incorporated into the Tyrol through a contract of inheritance. During the War of Bavarian Succession, he was able to win the court districts of Kufstein, Rattenberg and Kitzbühel in 1505. The largest extensions of power, however, he achieved through marriage: he himself married Mary of Burgundy and received the rich Burgundian heritage. Through the marriages of family members, he also won Spain, Bohemia and Hungary for the Habsburg.
The acquisition of Burgundy, however, also led to many years of armed conflicts: Within 40 years, he conducted 25 wars. In 1486, he was elected King of the Holy Roman Empire. After the death of his father in 1493, Maximilian succeeded him as the reigning Roman-German king. His coronation as the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, however, proved difficult. Only in 1508, he declared himself "Elected Roman Emperor" in Trento – without the traditional coronation through the Pope. The way to Rome was blocked due to a conflict with Venice.
Based on the model of Burgundy, he created a central administration responsible for all Austrian states that also assumed control of the Viennese authorities. Less successful were his attempts at reform in the Holy Roman Empire, where the various estates forced him into many compromises. His reform efforts and wars led to many financial constraints. After his death, Maximilian left behind not only an empire but also an enormous mountain of debt.
In 1519, Maximilian died in Wels. His pompous grave in Innsbruck was only finished in 1584 and remained empty. Maximilian was buried in the St. George's Chapel in Wiener Neustadt. His heart, however, is buried in Bruges with his first wife, Mary of Burgundy.