Early Sixteenth Century Rulers
Kings from France, Spain, England, and Scotland
Brief overview of rulers during the first half of the 1500s, including Henry VIII, Francios I, and Charles V.
There were many notable leaders of the Renaissance, but François I of France, Henry VIII of England, and Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor helped set the stage of sixteenth century politics in Western Europe.
François I (1494-1547) King of France
A handsome ladies man, François was often at war with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, or Henry VIII of England. Following the battle of Pavia in 1525, François was taken prisoner by Charles V in Spain. François was able to secure his freedom by sending his two young sons, the dauphin and Henri, Duc de Orleans (future king Henri II) as hostages in his place. For two years the little princes were left in the uncaring hands of the Spanish, something that would forever scar young Henri.
Henry VIII (1490- 1547) King of England
One of the most illustrious figures of European history, Henry VIII had a penchant for marrying (six times in total) though he wasn’t a very good husband. He divorced one wife, beheaded two, annulled one, and left one to die following complications from childbirth. The last wife, Katherine Parr, managed to outlive old King Harry. In the process, Henry established the Reformation in England, by breaking with Rome and claiming himself head of the Church of England.
Charles V (1500-1558) Holy Roman Emperor, King Charles I of Spain
Charles won the right to be called Holy Roman Emperor, much to the chagrin of François I. Grandson of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (of Spanish Inquisition fame) and Emperor Maximillian I, Charles was overflowing with royal blood. Unfortunately, his looks did not reflect his high birth status. An overlong chin and droopy eyes made him look slow witted, though he proved to be a brilliant military tactician in many cases. The Protestant Reformation began in the heart of Charles’ vast empire, and dealing with the political turmoil of the Reformation took up a great deal of his time.
James V (1512- 1542) King of Scotland
Nephew of Henry VIII, James faced many problems during his reign, particularly from his less than loving uncle. James is often left in the shadow of his much more famous daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots. However, he did help shape the politics of Western Europe, by strengthening the Auld Alliance with France, through his marriage to Madeline of Valios, the beautiful daughter of François I. Following Madeline’s death just six months after their wedding day, James married another Frenchwoman, Marie de Guise, of the Powerful Guise family.
Sources:
Lewis, Brenda Ralph. Kings and Queens of England. New York: Barnes & Nobel. 2006
Oram, Richard. The Kings and Queens of Scotland. Gloucestersire: Tempus Publishing. 2006
Sider, Sandra. Handbook to Life in Renaissance Europe. New York: Facts on File. 2004
