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The ascension of Charles I (later Emperor Charles V) in 1519 marked an unprecedented expansion in Habsburg power, propelling Austria and the Holy Roman Empire to new levels of influence. Charles, inheriting vast territories that included Spain, the Burgundian Netherlands, and the Habsburg hereditary lands, became ruler over a realm that stretched across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. He was the first monarch to rule a united Spain, adding immense wealth and colonial possessions that were instrumental in fueling his ambition for a "universal monarchy." His empire covered four million square kilometers and his goal, reflected in his motto Plus ultra ("Still further"), was to unify Christendom under a single ruler. However, Charles's ambition was tempered by challenges, including the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther, the threat from the expanding Ottoman Empire, and continuous rivalry with France.
In a key move that would shape Habsburg governance, Charles ceded Austria and the German-speaking Habsburg lands to his brother Ferdinand at the Diet of Worms in 1521. This separation was strategic, allowing Charles to focus on Western Europe and the New World while Ferdinand solidified Habsburg power in Central Europe. Charles's eventual abdication in 1556 divided the Habsburg empire further: he left Spain and the Low Countries to his son Philip II, permanently separating the Spanish and Austrian Habsburg lines.
Partition of Habsburg dominions in 1556. © Barjimoa
Ferdinand I, who succeeded Charles as Holy Roman Emperor in 1558, secured his own power base through strategic marriage to Anne of Bohemia and Hungary in 1521, thereby acquiring Bohemia, Hungary, and surrounding territories after her brother's death at the Battle of Mohács in 1526. This union significantly expanded Habsburg influence in Central Europe, though the lands of Hungary were fractured due to ongoing Ottoman incursions and local resistance. Ferdinand focused on fortifying Austria’s eastern borders, dealing with religious unrest spurred by the Reformation, and creating a unified administrative system within his territories.
When Ferdinand passed in 1564, he continued the Habsburg tradition by dividing his lands among his sons. This division laid the groundwork for the distinct Habsburg branches that would influence European politics for centuries, shaping the legacy of Austria as a central power in European affairs.