Charles V Holy Roman Emperor: Encyclopedia II - Charles V Holy Roman Emperor - Wars against France and the Reformation

Charles V Holy Roman Emperor - Wars against France and the Reformation

Charles V initiated many wars with France during his reign, first fighting against them in Northern Italy in 1521. Later in the Italian Wars, in 1527, his troops sacked Rome, causing Charles some embarrassment but enabling him to keep the Pope from annulling the marriage of Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon, who was his aunt.

As Holy Roman Emperor, he called Martin Luther to the Diet of Worms in 1521, promising him safe conduct if he would appear. He initially dismissed Luther's idea of reformation as, "An argument between monks". He later outlawed Luther and his followers in that same year but was tied up with other concerns and unable to try to stamp out Protestantism.

In a war supported by Henry VIII of England, in 1525, known as the battle of Pavia, Charles captured François I of France, because one of the noblemen of his Empire, Cesare Hercolani, injured the horse of the French king (Francis I of France). So Hercolani was named "the victor of the battle of Pavia" and Charles forced Francis to sign the Treaty of Madrid, in which France renounced her claims to northern Italy. When he was released, however, François I had the Parliament of Paris denounce the treaty, because it had been signed under duress. The 1529 Treaty of Cambrai (signed with France) and the Peace of Barcelona (with the Pope) confirmed Charles as Holy Roman Emperor and also allowed him to keep the lands he had acquired in Italy.

1524 to 1526 saw the Peasants' Revolt in Germany and the formation of the Lutheran Schmalkaldic League, and Charles delegated increasing responsibility for Germany to his brother Ferdinand while he concentrated on problems abroad.

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