Maximilian I

Reign: 1508 – 1519
Life: 1459–1519

He was never crowned by the Pope, as the journey to Rome was blocked by the Venetians. This broke the tradition of requiring a papal coronation for the adoption of the Imperial title. Maximilian expanded the influence of the House of Habsburg through war and his marriage in 1477 to Mary, Duchess of Burgundy. Through the marriage of his son Philip the Handsome to eventual queen Joanna of Castile in 1496, Maximilian helped to establish the Habsburg dynasty in Spain, which allowed his grandson Charles V to hold the thrones of both Castile and Aragon.

During Maximilian I's reign, Henry VIII of England ruled England, Selim I ruled Ottoman Empire, and Manuel I of Portugal ruled Portugal.

Want to learn more? Further reading

Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire by Peter H. Wilson

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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