History 240

Charles V and European Unity

Charles Habsburg (1500-1558)

• Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

• King of Castile

• King of Aragon

• Archduke of Austria

• Duke of Burgundy

Objectives

• To assess the extent to which the power of states was determined by the person of the monarch;

• To understand the tension between the conceptions of European unity and diversity;

• To identify the strategic interests of different states of Europe as demonstrated by the military conflicts that involve the empire of Charles V.

The Nature of European States

• States were the personal property of the monarch – origins in feudal relationships.

• Marriage and family relations were paramount in European politics – royalty could only marry royalty.

• Ambiguity over inheritance could lead to monarchs asserting claims by military force.

• Monarchs looking for new territory and to defend what they already have.

Two Major of Objectives of States

• Preserve their own states against attacks by a stronger neighbour.

• Collect allies, counterattack, defeat and plunder that neighbour.

The Family of Charles V

• Father was Philip, duke of Burgundy, son of Maximillian, Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, duke of Milan and Mary, duchess of Burgundy.

• Mother was Juana, daughter of King Ferdinand V and Isabella I of Spain, including Sicily and Naples in southern Italy.

Accession of Charles V

• Duke of Burgundy 1506

• King of Aragon, Sicily and Naples and joint monarch of Castile 1516

• Archduke of Austria 1519

• Holy Roman Emperor 1520

Strategic Marriages

• Charles married Isabella, heir to throne of Portugal.

• Charles’s sister Mary married King Louis of Hungary and Bohemia.

• Charles's brother Ferdinand married Louis’s sister, next in line to throne of Bohemia and Hungary.

Empire of Charles V

Political Power

• Monarch had full control of foreign policy.

• Objectives usually to further the family interest.

• War over just dynastic claims of families.

Habsburg-Valois Wars

• Kings of France assert claims over Naples, Milan, and French Burgundy.

• War with Francis I over French Burgundy fought in Italy.

• French surrounded by territory of Charles V – Burgundian Circle.

• Charles V saw France an the aggressor, trying to deprive him of his rightful territory.

Turkish Wars

• Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent1520-1566 pressures Austria’s southern flank.

• 1521 took Belgrade; 1526 took Hungary and killed Louis.

• 1529 troops at the gates of Vienna.

• Charles tried to rally Europe in a Christian crusade against the Turks.

• Francis I allies with Turks. Venetians encouraged Turks to attack Naples. Pope kept a rebellious brother of Suleiman in prison in return for a pension.

Charles V and Chivalry

• Raised in the northern culture of Chivalry.

• Favourite books were about his Burgundian ancestors.

• Greatest concern was ambition for honour, reputation and glory.

Charles V and Chivalry

• Crusades against Moors was the central obligation and glory of kingship in Spain.

• Ideal of Holy Roman Emperor as head of Christendom.

• Duty to preserve and extend his empire.

European Unity

• Many attempts to unify Europe.

• Romans had succeeded, but the empire broke up.

• Many support united Europe in theory.

• Common past, culture, language (Latin), beliefs and values.

• A united Europe under one faith and one government was an ideal worth striving for.

• Medieval– religious unity but not political.

• Charles V represented the best opportunity to unite Europe.

Obstacles to Unity

• Agree on unity but not about who would be in control.

• Charles was born in Burgundy and spoke French; did not spend much time in Spain or Germany.

• The Netherlands were jealous of their independence and opposed his taxes.

• Did not speak Spanish and hired Burgundians for important Spanish government and church offices.

• Spanish empire economic policies undermined the Spanish economy over long term.

Holy Roman Empire

• Charlemagne the first emperor 800, chief concern in conquering lands to spread Christianity and power of papacy.

• More prestige than power.

• Papal Bull of 1356 gives German princes independence; that Emperor elected by seven princes immune from imperial jurisdiction.

• By 1500, a loose assoc. of 300 independent states.

• Emperor had to be powerful and rich to be elected, usually Habsburg rulers of Austria.

Imperial Government

• No administrative infrastructure: no bureaucracy, taxes, army.

• All princes jealous of their independence.

• Emperor reigned but did not rule.

• He could call a conference but not dictate the terms of resolutions.

Protestant Reformation

• Charles V loyal supporter of Catholic Church: personal belief and political interest.

• His role was to protect Christianity.

• Confronted Luther at Diet of Worms in 1521: made a great speech, but in French, not German.

• Lutheranism posed a threat to the unity of the Empire.

• Charles had two choices: suppress Lutheranism or conciliate the Protestants, but did neither.

• Indecisive policy and long absence from Germany allowed Lutheranism to flourish.

Wars against Protestant Princes

• Protestant Princes ally with France against Charles V.

• Charles victorious in 1547, but could not conquer the congregations.

• Peace of Passau granted Lutherans equal treatment with Catholics.

Summary

• Unity was laudable but no one wanted Charles V in charge.

• Catholic states fought each other.

• Catholic and Protestant princes in Germany both wanted Charles V to be weak.

• Papacy feared his power.

• Financial collapse led to peace in 1559.

• Charles retires to monastery, splitting the empire between his son Philip II and his brother Ferdinand.

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