Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558

Charles V was Holy Roman Emperor from 1519 to 1556 and, as Charles I, King of Spain from 1516 to 1556, ruling an empire so vast it was said the sun never set on it. His reign was dominated by rivalry with France, the Ottoman advance into Europe, and the Protestant Reformation, which he confronted at the Diet of Worms in 1521. Exhausted by decades of war, he abdicated his thrones in 1555-1556 and retired to the monastery of Yuste in Spain.

Comparing
Compare

Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Life events

Born in Ghent, Flanders
24 February 1500

Charles was born in Ghent to Philip the Handsome of Habsburg and Joanna of Castile, heir to the Burgundian, Habsburg, and Spanish inheritances.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Became Lord of the Netherlands
5 January 1515

Charles was declared of age and assumed personal rule over the Burgundian Netherlands.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Proclaimed King of Spain
14 March 1516

After the death of his grandfather Ferdinand II of Aragon, Charles was proclaimed King of Castile and Aragon jointly with his mother Joanna.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Elected Holy Roman Emperor
28 June 1519

Charles was unanimously elected King of the Romans by the prince-electors at Frankfurt, defeating the candidacy of Francis I of France.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Presided over the Diet of Worms and confronted Martin Luther
17 April 1521 – 25 May 1521

Charles presided over the imperial diet at Worms, where Martin Luther refused to recant and was subsequently declared an outlaw by the Edict of Worms.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Other ✓
His forces captured Francis I at the Battle of Pavia
24 February 1525

Imperial troops crushed the French army at Pavia and took King Francis I of France prisoner.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Married Isabella of Portugal in Seville
10 March 1526

Charles married his cousin Isabella of Portugal; their son Philip II would inherit Spain and its empire.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relationship ✓
Crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope in Bologna
24 February 1530

Pope Clement VII crowned Charles emperor in Bologna, the last imperial coronation performed by a pope.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Abdicated his thrones
25 October 1555 – 16 January 1556

Charles abdicated the Netherlands and Spain to his son Philip II and arranged the imperial title for his brother Ferdinand, beginning with a ceremony in Brussels.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Died at the Monastery of Yuste
21 September 1558

Charles died at the monastery of Yuste in Extremadura, where he had retired after his abdications.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓