Join host John Green to learn about the Holy Roman Empire and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Charles Hapsburg was also the King of Spain - and the King of Germany, the King of Italy, the Lord of the Netherlands, and the Count Palatine of Burgundy. In short, Charles ruled many countries and was also known for encouraging intellectual discourse. However, he considered himself to be a failure and broke up the Empire when he abdicated in 1556. The main reason for this is that the Holy Roman Empire didn't work very well: it was a huge area and didn't have any means of directly raising taxes. Plus, during this time of social and political upheaval in Europe, especially the Protestant Reformation, Charles found himself in charge of the Catholic-Church-Endorsed Empire. John will teach you how Charles put the Empire together, how it fell apart, and how the Diet of Worms plays into everything!