Germany: Ferdinand I (1503-1564), 31st Holy Roman emperor, from the book De Bello Pannonico Libri Decem by Casparis Ursini Velii, 1762, Vienna

Ferdinand I (1503-1564) was the son of Philip I of Castile and Queen Joanna I of Castile, grandson of Emperor Maximilian I and younger brother of future emperor Charles V. Born and raised in Spain, he was sent to Flanders in 1518. When Charles became Holy Roman emperor in 1519, Ferdinand was entrusted with the governing of their hereditary Austrian lands, becoming Archduke of Austria and adopting the German culture as his own.

When Charles V abdicated in 1556, Ferdinand was elected as his successor to the imperial throne, becoming Holy Roman emperor in 1558. He continued to ably rule the Holy Roman Empire until his death in 1564, leaving an enduring legacy from his handling of the Protestant Reformation and his efforts against the Ottoman Empire.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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