Charles V and the Dream of a United Christian Empire I SLICE HISTORY | FULL DOCUMENTARY

500 years ago, Spain’s19-year-old King Carlos I became the German King of the Romans and was shortly thereafter crowned Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. His vast power was bought with money borrowed from the Fugger family, the loans secured with gold and silver from the Spanish colonies in America. The new emperor had a grand plan: to unify Europe as a great Christian empire, an “El Dorado” built on a unified faith. In faraway Mexico, Conquistador Hernán Cortés soon declared him “Emperor of the World”. But the extermination of the Aztecs and Incas in his name plunged pious Charles into a deep crisis of conscience. His European mission was soon challenged by the Reformation, led by Martin Luther. The film shows Charles V both as a holy warrior and a humanist, with lavishly reenacted scenes and newly rediscovered archival material. Documentary: Charles V – The Impossible Empire Directed by: Wilfried Hauke Production: ORF (2020) #Documentary #FreeDocumentary #CharlesV #HolyRomanEmpire #EuropeanHistory #SpanishEmpire #Reformation #MartinLuther #ColonialHistory #HistoryDocumentary #EarlyModernHistory #WorldHistory