Thus Maximilian had the Austrian estates upon the Danube only, as the nucleus of the empire he was ambitious of establishing.
Conscious of his power, and rejoicing in the imperial title, he had no idea of playing an obscure part on the conspicuous stage of European affairs.

With an eagle eye he watched the condition of the empire, and no less eagerly did he fix his eye upon the movements of those great southern powers, now becoming consolidated into kingdoms and empires, and marshaling armies which threatened again to bring all Europe under a dominion as wide and despotic as that of Rome.
Charles VIII., King of France, crossed the Alps with an army of twenty-two thousand men, in the highest state of discipline, and armed with all the modern enginery of war.

With ease he subjugated Tuscany, and in a triumphant march through Pisa and Siena, entered Rome as a conqueror.

It was the 31st of December, 1394, when Charles, by torchlight, at the head of his exultant troops, entered the eternal city.

The pope threw himself into the castle of St.Angelo, but was soon compelled to capitulate and to resign all his fortresses to the conqueror.