News frin The Low Countries
Charles V Names Successor
Habsburg Netherlands and Holy Roman Empire Hail Heir
Today Charles the Fifth has chosen his heir. His son Philip the second is the lucky chosen one. Charles the Fifth considers that his son will be one of the best kings in the whole world. When Charles the Fifth is going to resign and when the ceremony is we don’t have a clue.
‘I will be a great king and I will make sure the people in The Netherlands will behold me as a legend.’ We are going to make sure that will happen!
Spoltlight on Charles
Heir to three of Europe's leading dynasties: the Houses of Valois-Burgundy (Netherlands), Habsburg (Holy Roman Empire), and Trastámara (Spain) Is the most powerful Emperor in the world today.
As ruler of the Netherlands,, the Holy Roman Emperor and as king of Castille has a vast empire in the Americas and Asia and a Mediterranean empire that extends to Southern Italy. The personal union, under Charles, of the Holy Roman Empire with the Spanish Empire
Fears that his vast inheritance would lead to the realization of a universal monarchy , Charles is the object of hostility from many enemies
His reign has been dominated by war, fighting three major simultaneous conflicts: the Habsburg-Valois Wars with France, the struggle to halt the Ottoman advance, and the Protestant Reformation resulting in conflict with the German princes
The wars with France, mainly fought in Italy, resulted in recovery of territory lost at the beginning of his reign and included the decisive defeat and capture of Francis I of France at theBattle of Pavia in 1525. France recovered and the wars continued for the remainder of Charles's reign. Enormously expensive, they led to the development of the first modern professional army in Europe, the Tercios.
Charles’s Spanish dominions are the chief source of his power and wealth. As his reign progressed, his Spanish realms became increasingly important. In the Americas, Charles sanctioned the conquest by Castillian conquistadors of the Aztec and Inca empires. Castillian control was extended across much of South and Central America. The resulting vast expansion of territory and the flows of South American silver to Castile had profound long term effects on Spain.
A radical defender of catholic ideals, Charles began the Counter-Reformation, He drove protestants troops out of southern Germany and at the Battle of Mühlberg defeated John Frederick, Elector of Saxony and imprisoned Philip of Hesse in 1547
A pragmatist he gave allowances to Protestants in a bid to restore christian unity. It did achieve some success in uniting Catholics and Protestants in actively opposed it. Protestant princes, in alliance with Henry II of France, rebelled against Charles forcing him to the Netherlands.
Elizabeth Victims Return
three decades after St. Elizabeth’s flood, the clean up operation is now complete. Villagers in the region of Dordrecht, the Hoeksche Waard island, and north-western North Brabant have finally been able to return home. One resident who did not wish to be named said “when the sea came it was like a vision of Noah’s great flood, I lost all my livestock” Unfortunately the people of Biesbosch wont be returning home as that area remains flooded. Another resident of Zeeland said “ Our houses are finally fully recovered. But we won’t forget the people this disaster took from us.”