Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Charles V (Spanish: Carlos I, Dutch: Karel V, German: Karl V.) (24 February 1500–21 September 1558) is considered (the first) King of Spain though in fact was his son the first who used that title. He was king from 1516 to 1556 (in principle, he was from 1516 king of Aragon and from 1516 guardian of his insane mother, queen of Castile who died 1555, and the co-king of Castile 1516-55, full king 1555-56), and Holy Roman Emperor from 1519 to 1556. In Spain, he ruled officially as Charles I. Under the reighn of 1516 to 1556, Charles the 5th was the emperor of Spain, Austria, Italy and Germany, though he is referred to by the ordinal he used as Holy Roman Emperor more often. He was the son of Philip and Joanna of Castile. His maternal grandparents were Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. His paternal grandparents were Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Marie, Duchess of Burgundy.

Early life

Charles was born in Ghent and brought up in the Low Countries until 1517, where he was tutored by Adrian of Utrecht, later Pope Adrian VI. His three most prominent subsequent advisors were Lord Chièvres, Jean Sauvage, and Mercurino Gattinara. In 1506, on the death of his father, Charles inherited the Low Countries and Franche-Comté. After the death of his grandfather Ferdinand in 1516, Charles became joint-king of Castile with his mother Joanna of Castile (who was insane), and also inherited Aragon, Navarre, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia from his grandfather, and Castilian dependencies Granada and Spanish America (in the latter overseeing the conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires in the Americas, led by the Spanish conquistadors). Upon arriving in Castile and dismissing the regent Cardinal Cisneros, he had to fight the Castilian War of the Communities against the cities and petty nobles who disliked his appointment of Flemings for Castilian offices. He eventually won and from then on Castilian Cortes were keen on conceding him the vast resources needed for the numerous wars he waged in Europe. After the death of his other grandfather, Maximilian, in 1519, he inherited Habsburg lands in Austria and was elected Holy Roman Emperor on June 28, 1519.

Related Topics:
Ghent - Low Countries - 1517 - Adrian of Utrecht - Pope Adrian VI - Lord Chièvres - Jean Sauvage - Mercurino Gattinara - 1506 - Franche-Comté - Ferdinand - Castile - Joanna of Castile - Aragon - Navarre - Naples - Sicily - Sardinia - Granada - Spanish America - Aztec - Inca - Americas - Conquistadors - Cardinal Cisneros - Castilian War of the Communities - Cortes - Maximilian - Habsburg - Austria - Elected - June 28 - 1519

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He married the Infanta Isabella in 1526, sister of John III of Portugal, who had shortly before married Catherine, Charles's sister.

Related Topics:
Infanta Isabella - John III of Portugal

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He actually did not have a distinct nationality. He was:

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the Holy Roman emperor, duke of Austria, duke of Milan, ruler of Franche-Comte; grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella on his mother's side and thus king of Spain; king of Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia, and ruler of all the Spanish possessions in the New World

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