Death of Margaret of Savoy. Maria of Hungary regent in the Netherlands. Difficulties of Charles V in Italy and Germany. Charles in Italy, He leaves for Spain, The pirates of Algiers. Expedition against Tunis, Death of Clement VII, Election of Paul III. Occupation of Savoy hy the French, Charles V in Sicily and Naples, Charles leaves for Spain. Successes of the Turks in the Levant. Results of the war. Expedition against Algiers, Outbreak of war between Charles V and France, Barbarossa at Toulon.
Reduction of the Duke of Cleves, Battle of Ceresole, Opening of the Council of Trent. Affairs of Piacenza. Murder of Pierluigi Farnese. Treaty of Chamhord, French invasion of Lorraine. Charles V besieges Metz. War in the Netherlands. Truce of Vaucelles, Close of Charles V's career. Situation in Europe. Charles' abdication. Accession of Pope Paul IV. His character and action Death of Paul IV, France at war with Philip II and England.
Battle of St Quentin. Capture of Calais. Battle of Gravelines, Charles1 efforts in the South were chiefly devoted to the preservation of the existing equilibrium in Italy, to resisting the continuous advance of Muslim power in the Mediterranean, and to the restoration of some degree of prosperity to the shattered homes of Italy. His main attention was centred on the religious question in Germany, and the maintenance of Habsburg power on the Danube. France was still a chronic menace, but the wars were neither so frequent nor so dangerous as they had been from The death of Margaret of Savoy December 1, who had governed the Netherlands during Charles1 minority , and again with intervals from until her death, made another break with the past.
Margaret had been the confidante and intimate adviser of her father Maximilian and, although for a time after his accession in the Netherlands Charles had been estranged from her, he soon discovered her worth, and relied on her as on another self. She was perhaps the most capable woman of her time, well versed in all the arts of politics and diplomacy, a friend of letters and of art, and under her rule the authority of her nephew over the Burgundian States had sensibly increased, though the prosperity of the provinces had not shown a corresponding advance.
He was fortunate in finding in the circle of his own family another woman, perhaps less gifted, but well competent to take her place and carry on her policy. His sister Maria, the widow of the unfortunate King of Hungary who fell at Mohacz, was persuaded to undertake the task, for which she had shown her capacity in the troubles which followed the death of her husband Louis, and she entered upon the duties of her office in Her government was strengthened by the new ordinance establishing three Councils in the Netherlands for foreign affairs, justice, and finance.
