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.

The Council of Trent and other reforms

In 1545 the opening of the Council of Trent began the Counter-Reformation, and Charles won to the Catholic cause some of the princes of the Holy Roman Empire. He also attacked the Schmalkaldic League in 1546 and defeated John Frederick, Elector of Saxony and imprisoned Philip of Hesse in 1547. At the Augsburg Interim in 1548 he created a doctrinal compromise that he felt Catholics and Protestants alike might share. A more permanent settlement followed with the 1555 Peace of Augsburg.

Related Topics:
1545 - Council of Trent - Counter-Reformation - Schmalkaldic League - 1546 - John Frederick, Elector of Saxony - Philip of Hesse - 1547 - Augsburg Interim - 1548 - 1555 - Peace of Augsburg

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In 1549 he made the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands (Low Countries) an entity separate from both the Empire and from France (the "Pragmatic Sanction of 1549").

Related Topics:
1549 - Seventeen Provinces - Pragmatic Sanction of 1549

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In 1550, Charles convened a conference at Valladolid in order to consider the morality of the force used against the indigenous populations of Spanish America.

Related Topics:
1550 - Valladolid

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In 1555, his mother, the Queen of Castile, died. Thus, he finally obtained the full kingship of that country.

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