After her father's death Marie of Burgundy is the richest heiress in Europe. Maximilian, the young Austrian archduke, stubbornly opposes his father Frederick who also wants him to marry the young Duchess. Subtitled.
Put under pressure by King Louis, the citizens of Ghent storm Marie's palace and make her sign a contract to marry Louis' son Charles. She sends Joan, her lady-in-waiting, to make contact with Maximilian.
King Louis won't allow Marie to bury her father's body in Burgundy. Instead, he forces her counselors to accept him as their lawful ruler, when Marie refuses to marry Charles, French troops invade Burgundy.
The citizens of Ghent have Marie's closest advisers beheaded, so she sends her lady-in-waiting to Maximilian. He has recovered from the plague, but he is unable to settle accounts with the citizens of Cologne.
Maximilian's marriage to Marie turns out to be a happy one. However, the risk of war with France is imminent, and Maximilian arms his men and thwarts a conspiracy of the Ghent citizens.
Maximilian saves Polheim's life and rids himself of the conspirators. In order to dispel rumors that their first-born son is actually a girl, Maximilian and Marie have their son baptized in public.
