Curated playlist
Knights of the Golden Fleece
- Henry VIIIHenry VIII broke England from Rome after the pope would not annul his first marriage.
- Charles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was born during a ball in Ghent in 1500. He ruled more of the world than any Christian monarch before.
- Henry VII of EnglandHenry VII faked stomach cramps to avoid being handed to his enemies. The exiled Tudor then slipped away to a monastery.
- Sigismund I the OldA 1537 noble revolt against Poland's King Sigismund I was mocked as the Chicken War.
- Francis I of FranceFrancis I became king of France because three men ahead of him died without sons. He was crowned in 1515 at age twenty.
- Francis II of FranceAt his coronation, Francis II's crown was so heavy that nobles had to hold it above his head.
- Maximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I was Holy Roman Emperor for years but was never crowned by a Pope. He held the title from 1508 to 1519.
- Charles II of SpainCharles II of Spain ruled an empire that circled the globe, yet one historian wrote that "from the day of his birth, they were waiting for his death". He was king from 1665 to 1700. He was also the last monarch of the House of Habsburg,…
- Napoleon IINapoleon II was Emperor of the French for only two days. He was three years old and never ruled.
- Manuel I of PortugalManuel I of Portugal was the ninth child of a minor royal branch. Deaths and executions still made him king in 1495.