Carlos I of Spain

Due to issues of sovereignty, this member of the Austrian House of Hapsburg, born in Ghent, acceded to the Spanish throne in 1516 with the title of Carlos I. In 1520, he was elected as German-Roman Emperor, adopting the name of Carlos V. He was one of the most powerful rulers in all of history.

In the hope of expanding his territories, he was quick to support expeditions such as that proposed by Magellan, to discover a route from Castile to the Maluku (Spice) Islands. An enterprise that concluded with the first circumnavigation of the world by the Victoria, and considered one of the greatest achievements of his reign.