What is Charles V, (Holy Roman Emperor) most known for, and his contributions to history?

Answer 1

Near continuous warfare due to Charles efforts to expand the Spansih Empire and to solidify his hold on the Holy Roman Empire. Charles was Emperor when Martin Luther began making noise and at 'The Diet of Worms' (sounds yummy don't it), Charles threw down the gauntlet that Protestcents were heretics thus establishing hundreds of years of bitter acrimony between two sects preaching the dictates of Christ.

http://www.bartleby.com/65/ch/Charles5HRE.html
"""In Germany, at the fateful Diet of Worms (see Worms, Diet of) in 1521, Charles secured a satisfactory compromise regarding the Reichsregiment but unyieldingly opposed the doctrines of Martin Luther. In his written opinion, Charles declared himself ready to stake his dominions, friends, blood, life, and soul on the extinction of heresy. Late in May, 1521, he signed the Edict of Worms, outlawing Luther and his followers. However, Charles’s preoccupation with the war with France prevented him from checking the spread of Luther’s doctrines. Also, Charles was not always supported by the popes, who were concerned with the threat to their temporal power and independence posed by imperial domination of Italy.""

Charles V provided Historians wth lots of colorful battles & was personally brave and a better than the average warrior but his diplomacy tended to be that of Captain Kirk rather than Captain Piccard, more sword than diplomacy. Charles would pummel his enemies and then suggest a peace conference. Many modern rulers have emulated this style of leadership.
Inadvertently Charles V in his drive to enhance Spain's Glory laid the path for Spain's inglorius failures of the 1600's and onward by draining the Spansih treasury for his wars and by not putting in place a practical framework for financing daily life. Charles set in motion the expulsion of Jews from Spain and they were the few competent banlers in the country.

Oddly enough for historians the biggest conribution Charles made was in the form of a sperm deposit prodcing in turn Phillip the 2nd who is much better known to people in 2007, soon to be the arch villain of ucoming Armada /Elizabeth Movie...

Here are a few more links and words...

http://www.bartleby.com/65/ch/Charles5HRE.html
"""During Charles’s rule the Spanish Empire was tremendously expanded in the New World. In Italy, Spanish power had become paramount. Even England seemed about to fall to Spain through Philip’s marriage, and Charles’s own marriage with Isabella of Portugal brought the Portuguese crown to Philip in 1580. Yet Charles failed in his purpose to return the Protestants to the Roman Catholic Church, and the human and financial cost of constant warfare drained Spanish resources; moreover, Charles’s hopes for a universal empire were thwarted by the political realities of Western Europe. His integrity, strength of will, and sense of duty were conspicuous. His appearance has been made familiar by two portraits by Titian.""


Peace............................