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CHAPTER XIII: Charles
Whilst these transactions occupied the public attention in Germany, the principles of the reformers were making a rapid progress in most other countries of Europe: in some they were encouraged by the governing powers, while in others they were discountenanced, and their advocates subjected to cruel persecutions. The Turks were now menacing Hungary, and Charles V. thought it prudent to forget his differences with the protestant princes and their subjects, for the sake of engaging them to assist him against the general enemy; but on the approach of the emperor at the head of 100,000 men, although the army of Soliman was at least double that number, the latter retired: and Charles returned to Spain, and engaged in an expedition to Tunis, against the famous corsair Barbarossa, whom he deposed from his assumed sovereignty.
A long and obstinate war had been carried on between the rival sovereigns of Germany and France; and the former at the head of 50,000 men, invaded the southern provinces, while two other armies were ordered to enter Picardi and Champagne. Francis laid waste the country, and fortified his towns; so that after the lapse of a few months, disease and famine so reduced the army of the emperor, that he was glad to retreat, and a truce was then effected at Nice under the mediation of the pope, A. D. 1538. Charles had also to quell a serious insurrection in Ghent, and endeavored in vain to arrange the religious affairs of Germany at the diet of Ratisbon. The progress of the Turks, who had become masters of nearly the whole of Hungary, and his desire to embark in an expedition against Algiers, induced him to make concessions to the protestants, from whom he expected assistance. The conquest of Algiers was a favorite object of Charles; and in spite of the remonstrances of Doria, the famous Genoese admiral, he set sail in the most unfavorable season of the year, and landed in Africa: the result of which was, that the greatest part of the armament was destroyed by tempests, A. D. 1541
The desire of Charles V. to humble the protestant princes, and to extend his own power, continued to manifest itself in every act. At length, being wholly free from domestic wars, he entered France; but the gallant defence of the duke of Guise compelled him to raise the siege of Metz, with the loss of 30,000 men. the following year he had some success in the Low Countries; but the Austrians were unfortunate in Hungary. In Germany a religious peace was finally concluded by what is called the "recess of Augsburg." It was during the progress of this treaty that Charles V., to the great astonishment of all Europe, resigned the imperial and Spanish crowns, and retired to spend the remainder of his life at the monastery of Yuste, in Spain, where he died three years after, aged 58, A. D. 1566. In
Charles was succeeded by his son Philip, and no monarch ever ascended a throne under greater advantages. The Spanish arms were everywhere successful, and the rival nations appearing unanimous in their desire for repose after a series of devastating wars, peace was re-established between France and Spain, which included in it, as allies on the one side or the other, nearly all the other states of Europe.