At the height of its power, Spain stood at the center of a global empire that stretched across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Americas. The Habsburgs explores the rulers, wars, conquests, and political crises that defined this extraordinary era.
From the election of Charles V as Holy Roman Emperor and the Revolt of the Comuneros to the conquest of Mexico, the Sack of Rome, and the wars against France, this book follows the rise of a monarchy that seemed almost unstoppable. It also examines the reign of Philip II, the construction of El Escorial, the incorporation of Portugal, the revolt in the Netherlands, the Spanish Fury, and the dramatic failure of the \"Invincible\" Armada.