1556, Αn alliance between all

With a series of abdications Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor,
                                                           [divided his hereditary and imperial domains in 1556,
after thirty-five years of incessant warfare and facing the prospect
                              [of an alliance between all, he was sincerely too old and tired for tricks.

Charles V was the Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands
                                      [as titular Duke of Burgundy from 1506, King of Spain from 1516,
he dominated the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian lands Burgundian Low Countries,
                                   [so much power concentrated in one man, humanity had never seen.

Beyond these regions and territories, he exercised power in unified Spain
             [with its southern Italian kingdoms of Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and furthermore,
both the long-lasting Spanish and short-lived German colonization of the Americas,
            [an empire on which the sun never sets, the earth resembles an emperor's toy store.

It sounds unbelievable but it is true, this supposed more powerful empire
                                                    [had to pay tribute to Turks 30.000 gold florins* per year,
appearances are deceptive, except that was in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire,

                                                   [the Holy Roman Empire, most of all was not a superpower.

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                                                       to be continued


''IT COULD BE OTHERWISE in verse''
Texts and Narration: Odysseus Heavilayias - ROTTERDAM //
Language adjustments and text adaptation: Kellene G Safis -CHICAGO//
Digital adaptation and text editing: Cathy Rapakoulia Mataraga - PIRAEUS //

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*The "fiorino d'oro" of the Republic of Florence was the first European gold coin struck in sufficient quantities since the seventh century to play a significant commercial role. As many Florentine banks were international supercompanies with branches across Europe, the florin quickly became the dominant trade coin of Western Europe for large-scale transactions, replacing silver bars in multiples of the mark (a weight unit equal to eight troy ounces). 

ELEGHOS... at history