The vast Habsburg Empire under Charles V spanned multiple continents and represented one of history's most extensive domains. The Eredità di Carlo V nel Sacro Romano Impero shaped European politics for centuries to come.
- Charles V inherited territories from four major family lines: Austrian, Burgundian, Castilian, and Aragonese
- His reign was marked by significant conflicts, including the Guerre di Carlo V contro Francesco I of France
- The Conquiste americane di Carlo V expanded Habsburg control to the New World
- Religious tensions, particularly the Protestant Reformation, posed major challenges to imperial unity
- His eventual abdication in 1556 split the empire between his son Philip II and brother Ferdinand I