Charles was bred to rule most of Western Europe. Through his parents and grandparents, he inherited the Hapsburg, Spanish, and the Holy Roman Empires. One man to rule over a global Empire that was often at war with itself. His Empires were ethnically, religiously, and culturally diverse, with an unknown number of languages spoken. But it was also a Catholic Empire that was being torn apart by the Reformation. Charles ruled in the era that believed in the Divine Right of Kings, and he pushed the doctrine of Universal Monarchy.

Charles genuinely tried to be a good Catholic Emperor. Still, internal and external conflicts kept him on the road for much of his reign. His wife, Isabella of Portugal, acted as Regent in Spain when he was away. She was a very able ruler in her own right.

Original Artwork. Allegory on the Abdication of Emperor Charles V in Brussels. Frans Francken the Younger.