Carlos V

Synopsis of Carlos V

This book by Joseph Pérez offers a penetrating portrait of Charles V, one of the greatest rulers in history, and sharply analyzes the problems of his time. Charles V inherited a vast empire that stretched from Flanders to the Iberian Peninsula, including Naples, the Indies, and presidios in Africa. He faced the rupture of the spiritual unity of Europe and the threat of the Turkish advance, defending a universalist spirit and advocating for what we today call European civilization.

The work raises whether his reign was the last glimmer of the Middle Ages or the first sketch of modernity, offering a complete vision of his figure and his impact on history.