Charles V

The truth about Charles V, the man who had an “empire on which the sun never set”.

Charles V the Holy Roman Emperor and Emperor of Christendom was a longing and powerful man, but also a human being who knew true love.

Also known as Charles I King of Spain. A born fighter under whom Spain truly conquered the New World.

Who was Charles V?

Charles V was a historical character, with his virtues, his defects and his different facets.  His apparent facet of invincible man, invites us to discover the man behind him, his more personal face.

Granada has several buildings that had a personal and direct relationship with the life of Charles V.  

His relationship with the Kingdom of Granada has been forever reflected in his most important legacy; the Palace of Charles V. 

The life of this Emperor is full of myths that hide many of the realities of this character and very little is known about him.  Therefore, I am sure that this post will change the perception of the person of Charles V.

What will this post reveal about Charles V?

This post will allow me to reveal to you the story of the life and deeds of our protagonist from his childhood to his abdication.   

Was Charles V born in a latrine?

Part of Charles V’s lights and shadows were manifested from his birth, it was not the birth of a fairy tale prince. 

His mother, Juana “The Madwoman”, attended a party at the Prinsenhof Palace to accompany her husband.  During the party Joan felt the urge to go to the bathroom. To her surprise, the result was that right there, alone, without maids by her side, she gave birth to her second son. 

The one who would later become the first king of Spain was born in a pestilent latrine of medieval times. Great paradox of life.

The personality of Charles V

Charles was never loved by his parents.  He did not know the love of a mother and did not have the figure of a father. 

He lived his childhood in a palace with his sisters; Eleanor, Elizabeth and Mary, his masters and servants.  Her aunt Margaret of Austria, her legal guardian, lived in the palace across the street.

This was largely the reason for his melancholy and quiet character. Charles, with all his imperial authority, felt more sadness than joy. 

He was a friend of solitude and an enemy of laughter. Where he felt best was in his chamber, even if this was incompatible with his duties.

Charles V’s crush

Fortunately, the beautiful Isabella of Portugal turned his life around.

It only took the emperor 5 minutes to realize that she was the love of his life and marry her. 

Few historical characters can say that they have truly loved.  Granada was fortunate to witness this honeymoon.  They entered Granada on June 4, 1526 and lived here for 6 months.

The flame of love was active for fourteen years, after his death the emperor never remarried.

Lights and shadows

But his lights and shadows did not stop when he met the love of his life.

The Emperor of Christianity was a complex man who practiced as many deadly sins as virtues.

He was spiteful, greedy and his gluttony gave him many problems because he was gluttonous and had disproportionate teeth with which he could not chew food properly.  

However, he was also fair, honest and honest as a gentleman. He was true to his words and did not like to lie.  

Why did Charles V abdicate?

He was hardworking, worked hard for all his kingdoms and like his grandmother, Queen Isabella, Charles V was a great defender of the Catholic religion.  

He had great enemies with their own passionate histories, such as Francis I, Suleiman the Magnificent, Barbarossa and Luther himself. 

All this incessant battle led Charles V to confess that he no longer had the strength to continue fighting against the tide.  He was tired, disillusioned and sick.  And this is why he made an unprecedented decision.  

At the age of fifty-six, he gradually abdicated all his kingdoms to his son Philip II.  He thus becomes the first king of Spain to abdicate during his lifetime.

If you discovered events of Charles V’s personal life that have surprised you, be sure to book a tour with me to visit his favorite places in Granada.