Charles V: The World Emperor [Hardcover]

Harald Kleinschmidt (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0750924047 | ISBN-13: 978-0750924047 | Publication Date: November 25, 2004

Charles V (1500-58), King of Aragon, ruler of Castile and Roman Emperor is one of the most interesting and perplexing of the great European monarchs. Son of Philip the Handsome and Juana, Queen of Castile, who was regarded as insane, by the age of nineteen he was the most powerful monarch in Europe. In this, the first biography for many years, Harald Kleinschmidt draws on the latest research to portray Charles V in the light of his upbringing and dynastic relations, and against a background of turmoil and unprecedented European expansion.

Coming to power as a very young man, Charles V held high aims and ideals about exercising control over the greatest number of territories ever accumulated by a European ruler. As the defender of Catholic Christendom, he attempted to achieve both the cultural and religious unity of Europe and European world rule. His struggles against Lutheranism were initially successful, but the harsh measures he took against his Protestant prisoners provoked an uprising that forced him to grant Protestantism legal recognition. Likewise, although Charles V substantially extended Spanish dominions in the New World through the conquest of Mexico by Cortes in 1519-21 and of Peru by Pizarro ten years later, the demands of ruling his vast European realm ultimately overwhelmed him. Disillusioned by the seeming impossibility of achieving peace in Europe, in 1555 Charles renounced his imperial crown in favour of his brother Ferdinand. Shortly afterwards, he resigned his kingdoms of Spain, the Netherlands and the Spanish Americas to his son Philip and retired to live in seclusion near the monastery of San Geronimo de Yuste. Legend has it that his ghost continues to advise the Spanish monarchs.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Harald Kleinschmidt is a German-born scholar presently teaching at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. He has many articals on medieval European history and his most recent books are Understanding the Middle Ages: A Conceptual History of Medieval Culture(Boydell and Brewer, 1998) and The Nemesis of Power: A History of International Theories(Reaktion Books, 1999)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (November 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750924047
• ISBN-13: 978-0750924047
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,291,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An unfocused factual biography, December 4, 2006

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Brian Hawkinson (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Charles V: The World Emperor (Hardcover)

Right from the beginning I wasn't sure what to make of this biography. Kleinschmidt doesn't try to make the story of Charles V more accessible. Rather, his story reads like a recital of facts. There isn't much to the author's writing style, which is much to be desired. Additionally, there isn't as much of Charles V as you would imagine.

Where you would think Charles would be the central theme he is relegated to nothing more than the common thread, sometimes only being mentioned in passing in order to justify that section being mentioned. Most of chapter 2 is spent talking about the various maps that were drawn from the end of the fifteenth century to the middle of the sixteenth century. Perhaps this would be more interesting in a book about maps, but it doesn't belong in a biography of a Holy Roman Emperor. Throughout the book there are sections like this that branch off into philosophical meanderings or useless descriptions that seem to only be there in order to meet the quota of pages.

That being said, what was mentioned of Charles was interesting to read. Seeing him come into power and battling Francis I, the Turks, or the Lutherans helped breathe some life into the biography despite the dry nature the facts were presented. The last chapter was written with the most life as the author summarized the end of Charles' life and future of the Habsburgs.

I am on the fence on whether I would recommend. I am sure there is another more focused and interesting biography on this profound ruler and so would probably not recommend because of this.

2.5 stars.