Charles V Holy Roman Emperor: Encyclopedia II - Charles V Holy Roman Emperor - Family and nationality

Charles V Holy Roman Emperor - Family and nationality

Charles combined in himself the heritage of the German Habsburgs, the house of Burgundy and the Spanish heritage of his mother. He transcends ethnical or national boundaries even more than other public figures of his time no nation should claim him all for its own.

The prime influence was the culture and courtly life of the Burgundian Low Countries, where he had been born and grown up. From his Burgundian ancestors he inherited an ambigious relationship with the Kings of France. Charles shared with France his mother tongue and many cultural forms. In his youth, he made frequent visits to Paris, then the largest city of Western Europe, which he thoroughly enjoyed. In his words: "Paris is not a city, but a universe" (Lutetia non urbs, sed orbis). But Charles was also born into the tradition of political and dynastical enmity between the Royal and the Burgundian lines of the Valois Dynasty.

This conflict was amplified by his accession to Holy Roman Empire and especially the kingdom of Spain. Though Spain was the core of his kingdom, he was never totally assimilated and especially in his earlier years felt and was viewed as a foreign prince. Nonetheless, he decided to spend his final years in a Spanish monastery.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Family and nationality", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki