Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, died on September 21, 1558.

Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands from 1506 to 1555. His dominions earned him the title of ruling over the first "empire on which the sun never sets."

Early Life & Rise to Power

Charles V was born into the Habsburg dynasty, a family that controlled vast territories in Europe. His father, Philip the Handsome, was the Duke of Burgundy, and his mother, Joanna of Castile, was the daughter of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. In 1506, when Charles was just six years old, his father died unexpectedly, making him the heir to several European territories, including the Low Countries and parts of present-day France and Germany.  

Charles spent his formative years at the Burgundian court in Brussels, under the tutelage of his aunt, Margaret of Austria. His tutors included notable scholars and humanists of the time, such as Adrian of Utrecht, who later became Pope Adrian VI.  In 1516, when his grandfather Ferdinand of Aragon passed away, he assumed the role of King of Spain. He ruled alongside his mother as a co-monarch, as she was considered unfit for governance due to her mental illness. Three years later, the death of Maximilian I opened the door to his aspiration to become Holy Roman Emperor. Despite opposition from the French and English monarchs, Charles secured a unanimous election to the imperial throne, facilitated in part by generous bribes offered to the electors. These cumulative titles placed Charles at the helm of a sprawling European empire.

His Reign

One of Charles's major achievements was the consolidation of the Spanish Empire. In this regard, he united the crowns of Castile and Aragon, creating a powerful alliance. Moreover, under his rule, Spain became the centre of an empire that spanned the Americas, the Philippines, and vast territories in Europe, greatly enriching the Spanish Crown.

During his reign, Charles found himself contending with the Protestant Reformation in Europe, led by Martin Luther. Despite opposing the latter, the King advocated for reforms within the Catholic Church, but the papacy resisted his calls for change, fearing his political influence. In response, Pope Clement VII allied with French King Francis I, who sought to acquire Spanish territories in Italy. However, Francis was forced to renounce his claims after being defeated by Charles’ army at the Battle of Pavia in 1525. Despite the terms of surrender, Francis refused to honour them and reignited the war. As a result, in 1527, Charles's troops sacked Rome, taking Pope Clement VII captive, and leading to the signing of a truce in 1530.

Charles had originally intended to use his military might against Protestant German princes. However, the Ottoman Turks posed a significant threat to Austria, compelling him to seek their aid in countering the Turkish forces, who were also supported by the French. After repelling them in Vienna in 1532, Charles captured Tunis in North Africa but failed to conquer Algiers. It wasn't until 1544 that Charles managed to persuade France to make peace and end its support for the Turks, leading to a truce with the Ottomans.

In 1545, the temporary cessation of hostilities provided an opportunity for the Council of Trent to take place. Its aim was to address church reform and tackle the abuses that had driven Protestants away from the Catholic Church. Concurrently, Charles seized the moment to confront the Schmalkaldic League, a coalition of Protestant princes in Germany. In 1547, he defeated the league and compelled its members to accept the Interim of Augsburg, a religious compromise reconciling Catholic and Protestant practices.

Nevertheless, his triumph proved short-lived, since the Turks, the French, and the Protestant princes resumed hostilities against the emperor. In 1552, Charles was forced to flee Innsbruck to evade capture by the new French King Henry II. To counter this challenge, Charles endeavoured to place his son Philip II on the English throne by arranging a marriage with England's Queen Mary I. While the English accepted the marriage, they declined to crown Philip as king.

Abdication & Death

By 1556, Charles V's vast empire had become unmanageable, and he decided to abdicate, dividing his realms between his son, Philip II of Spain, and his brother, Ferdinand I, who became Holy Roman Emperor. He retired to the Monastery of Yuste in Spain, where he devoted his final years to prayer, reflection, and intellectual pursuits. Still, his retirement was relatively short-lived since he passed away on September 21, 1558. Charles was buried in the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a palace monastery he had commissioned during his reign.

Charles V's death marked the end of an era in European history. His reign witnessed the expansion of the Holy Roman Empire to its zenith, the emergence of Spain as a global superpower, and the early stages of the European colonization of the Americas.