Join us on this episode of pplpod as we explore the colossal life of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor who revitalized the concept of "universal monarchy" and ruled the first domain to be called "the empire on which the sun never sets". From his birth in Ghent to the height of the Renaissance, Charles controlled a vast collection of realms including Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, the Netherlands, and the Americas.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Ultimate Inheritance: How a series of dynastic marriages and untimely deaths made Charles the heir to Castile, Aragon, Austria, and Burgundy, effectively encircling his rivals.

• A Three-Front War: Charles's lifelong struggle to defend Christendom against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire under Suleiman the Magnificent, his rivalry with Franci ...