Problems+that+Charles+V+faced

Mia McDonough

In 1519, Charles of Hapsburg became Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Discuss and analyze the political, social, and religious problems he faced over the course of his imperial reign (1519-1556).

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, was faced with problems in his reign from 1519-1556 such as political problems the French ruler Francis Valois, social problems with Germany's attitude of being an independent state, and the religious problems of Lutherism growing support in Germany

-cheif political concern was with the king of France: Francis the First -Ottoman Turks under Suleiman the Magnificent kill King Louis of Hungary, Charles brother in law
 * Political:**
 * -**political goal was to maintain his dynasties control over his enormous empire
 * failure due to the French and the Turks
 * Francis and Charles fought over disputed territories in southern France: the Netherlands, the Rhineland, northern Spain, and Italy = Habsburg-Valois wars fought intermittently over 24 years
 * prevented Charles from focusing on the Lutheran problem in Germany...
 * finally repulsed in 1529

-Expects papal cooperation in dealing with the Lutheran heresy, instead Pope Clement is fearful of his power in Italy = joins the side of Francis in the second Habsburg-Valois War -Finally, by the end of 1529, Charles is ready to deal with the Germans
 * Religious:**
 * -**failure at the Edict of Worms telling Luther to recant in Janurary 1421
 * -**Charles religios goal was to preserve the unity of the Catholic faith throughout his empire
 * Spanish-Imperial Army of Charles attacks Rome = Clement comes to terms with the emperor
 * demands that the Lutherans return to the Catholic Church by April 15th, 1531
 * Lutherans form a defensive league known as the Schmalkaldic League = religion dividing the empire into two armed camps
 * 1555 war ends with the Peace of Augsburg, which formally acknowlodges the division in christianity and gives German princes the right to determine the religion of their subjects

-Though they all owed loyalty to the emperor, Germany's medieval development had enabled states to become independent of him thus they did not want a strong emperor
 * Social:**