If Charles V hadn't inherited Spain

[Aznavour]

So we all know the story and the man: Karl V, Carlos I el César, Holy Roman Emperor, inherited half the world through his grandparents' marriages (Maximiliam of Austria and Mary of Burgundy, the Catholic Monarchs), the conquests of greedy Spanish adventurers (Cortez, Pizarro, etc.) and several deaths.

Let's assume one of those deaths doesn't occur. Say, Juan de Trastamara leads a long, healthy happy life instead of dying of eh *checks chronicles* fucking, or Miguel da Paz doesn't die in his infancy, or the aforementioned Juan's wife, Margaret of Austria, gives birth to a health boy in 1497 insead of a dead girl. So one of those guys inherits the Spanish Thrones and the New World, while Charles the Big Jaw just gets the lands left by Grandpa Max and Grandma Mary, still a considerable do ain for a guy his age once Maximilian dies.

What becomes of him? Can he still get the Wesler and Fugger Banks to finance him and his bid for the Imperial Throne? How does he manage without the vast Spanish resources? How does he deal with Francis I and the Reformation? Et cetera, et cetera...you know the rest.

 

[Alex Richards]

I think given the Burgundian and Austrian inheritances weren't exactly something to sniff at he'd still be on course to gain the Empire as well.

The biggest impact therefore is that this is a much more compact and focussed powerbase and could well see a more active attempt at strengthening the position of the Emperor.

 

[TR1996]

The somewhat more manageable inheritance and ability to focus on Germany could be beneficial to him, in some ways. He could conceivably eke out a few more years if he's less exhausted.

The diplomatic situation is obviously changed somewhat, with France not being surrounded by Charles' patrimony. Though Charles' relationship with his uncle or cousin in Spain obviously effects things here.

Would Ferdinand get anything here? And would his relationship with his brother suffer compared to OTL given they're in closer proximity?

Who would Charles go for maritally here? Is it Anne of Hungary or... ? There's obviously potential implications for Bohemia-Hungary surrounding her marriage.

 

[Max Sinister]

GURPS Alternate Earths has this as a PoD, for the world of Shikaku-mon. It becomes very weird.

 

[Aznavour]

If Charles had been largely in Germany, with only the ocassional war with France to distract him, how would that have affected the development of the Protestant Reformation in the Holy Roman Empire? I also have to wonder, would the Dutch have still tried to become independent in such a scenario?

 

[HJ Tulp]

ATL Philip II will (presumably) be raised in the economic heavyweight of Charles C's possessions: the Netherlands. This will do a lot to counter rebellious feelings in those lands.