After her father’s death Marie of Burgundy is the richest heiress in Europe. The sharp-minded woman resists the citizens of Ghent who try to force her into a marriage with nine-year-old Charles, the French King Louis’ son. Meanwhile, Maximilian, the young Austrian archduke, stubbornly opposes his father Frederick who also wants him to marry the young Duchess. Nevertheless, Frederick has the merchant Fugger negotiate the marriage between Maximilian and Marie in Ghent.

Put under pressure by French King Louis, the citizens of Ghent storm Marie’s palace and make her sign a contract in which she agrees to marry Louis’ son Charles. She sends Joan, her lady-in-waiting, to Maximilian, who is instantly smitten by Marie’s portrait. Joan returns to Ghent with Maximilian’s letter announcing his visit. However, Louis threatens to declare war against Burgundy, should Marie breach the contract with France she was forced to sign.

French King Louis won’t allow Marie to bury her father’s body in Burgundy. Instead, he forces her counsellors to accept him as their lawful ruler. When Marie refuses to marry Charles, French troops invade Burgundy, ravaging its provinces. On his journey to Ghent Maximilian has caught the plague. Confined to his sickbed, he is unable to rush to her side and help her fight her numerous enemies.

When the citizens of Ghent have Marie’s closest advisors beheaded, she sends Joan, her lady-in-waiting, to Maximilian. He has recovered from the plague, but he is unable to settle accounts with the citizens of Cologne for his stay within their city walls. Therefore, Maximilian and Marie are married by proxy with his confidant Polheim acting as his substitute. When the couple finally meets, it is love at first sight, but their enemies will not rest.

Maximilian’s marriage to Marie turns out to be a happy one. However, the risk of war with France is imminent. Maximilian arms his men and thwarts a conspiracy of the Ghent citizens. However, everything is put to risk when Joan’s husband finds out that she has an affair with Maximilian’s confidant Polheim. According to Burgundy’s law, Polheim faces death penalty.

Maximilian saves Polheim’s life and rids himself of the conspirators. In order to dispel rumours that their first-born son is actually a girl, Maximilian and Marie have their son baptized in public. However, as the ducal family leaves the cathedral, Maximilian is stabbed. He escapes death by the skin of his teeth only to confront the young French Prince Charles in the Battle of Guinegate.