But he himself died in the year 1500, without succeeding in his projects of an ambition unjust in its principle and atrocious in its practice.
The war of Guelders was of a totally different nature.

In this case it was not a question of popular resistance to a tyrannical nomination, but of patriotic fidelity to the reigning family.
Adolphus, the duke who had dethroned his father, had died in Flanders, leaving a son who had been brought up almost a captive as long as Maximilian governed the states of his inheritance.
This young man, called Charles of Egmont, and who is honored in the history of his country under the title of the Achilles of Guelders, fell into the hands of the French during the combat in which he made his first essay in arms.

The town of Guelders unanimously joined to pay his ransom; and as soon as he was at liberty they one and all proclaimed him duke.

The emperor Philip and the Germanic diet in vain protested against this measure, and declared Charles a usurper.

The spirit of justice and of liberty spoke more loudly than the thunders of their ban; and the people resolved to support to the last this scion of an ancient race, glorious in much of its conduct, though often criminal in many of its members.