The
Early Modern period saw monarchical powers reach their peak and then decline as the beginnings of
democratic states emerged all over
Europe. There was
the Glorious Revolution, the
Dutch Revolt and the
French revolution and by the end of the
17th century no monarch could count themselves secure.
The great surge in monarchical powers had come about thanks to increasing centralisation of government and the improvement in communication infrastructure that had made this possible. Spain emerged as a world super power only 100 years after being a disjointed collection of Kingdoms (7 of them) one of which wasn't even Christian. The collapse of Spain was as spectacular as its emergence and this was triggered by the Dutch Revolt. In turn the Dutch Revolt was influenced by the growing merchant classes. It was this new emerging class that greatly affected revolutions throughout Europe. Their influence and wealth brought an end to the age of monarchy of the Early Modern Period.
Every school history student knows that the monarchs were famous for their inbreeding and the deformities and mental problems that arose from it. Joanna the Mad kept her husband's open casket at court for over 10 years after his death and she was meant to be Queen of Spain! The famous Habsburg chin can be seen rearing its head (or chin, ho ho) all over Europe.
The following is a family tree that contains most of the monarchs of the Early Modern Period except the French. The French monarchs seemed more keen to marry either more French men or Italians so they need a whole different tree. One thing to notice is the Habsburg influence increasing as they basically take over Europe by the 16th century. This was mostly down to Maximillian I's territorial expansion and his clever political marriage of his son to Joanna the Mad.
I apologise for its confusing nature and the fact that for some of you it may not fit horizontally on the page. I worked for hours trying to strike a decent compromise so this is what your getting, if you don't like change your resolution.
I've now added the French family tree as well and spent even more hours trying to sort it out. It should be smaller now and this is a small as I can get it while being readable, I think. Hope it's OK. - 26/10/2001
Habsburg and Spanish Family Tree
Ferdinand II = (1) Isabella I = (2) Germainede Maximillian I (HRE) = Mary
of Aragon | of Castille of Narbonne of Habsburg | of Burgundy
(1452-1451) | (1451-1504) (d.1506) (1453-1519) | (1457-1482)
______________________|_____________________________________________ |_________
| | | | | |
| John = Margaret Isabella = Manuel I Joanna the Mad = Philip I |
|(1478-1497) (1480-1530) (1470-1498) | of Portugal (Juana) | of Castille |
| | (1469-1521) (1480-1555) | (1478-1506) |
| | | |
(1) Catherine = Henry VIII = (2) Anne = (3) Jane | | Margaret
of Aragon | of England | Boleyn | Seymour| | of Austria
(1485-1536) | (1491-1547) | (1501-1536) | (1505-1537)| | (1480-1530)
_____|_____________| | ______|___________ ______|____ ____French Tree
| | ______________________| | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | Katherina = John III Isabella = Charles V (HRE) |
| | | of Habsburg | of Portugal (1503-1539)| of Habsburg |
| | | (1507-1578) | (1502-1557) | (1500-1558) Ferdinand I (HRE)
| |____|_____________________|_________________________|__ of Habsburg
| | | | | (1503-1564)
| | ________|___ ____________| | French Tree
| | | | | | |
Elizabeth I Edward VI John (1) Maria = Philip II = (2) Mary Tudor = (3) Elizabeth = (4) Anne
of England of England (1527-1545) | of Spain of England of Valois | of Austria
(1533-1603) (1537-1553) | (1522-1598) (1516-1558) (1545-1568) | (1549-1580)
| |
Don Carlos Philip III
of Spain
(1578-1621)
French Family Tree
Duke Philip II of Savoy = Louise of Savoy = John Count Angouleme
(d.1497) | | Valois
| ____| Anne = Louis XII of France
| | Brittany | Valois
| | (1476-1514) | (1462-1515)
Louise of Savoy = Charles Count Angouleme |
(1476-1531) | D'Orleans |
| (1459-1496) |
| |
_______________|_____________ | Habsburg Tree
| | | |
Henry II of Navarre = Margaret Queen of Navarre Francis I = (1) Claudia = (2) Eleanor
D'Albret | Valois Valois | (1499-1524)
(1503-1555) | (1492-1549) (1494-1547) |
|___ ____________|____________
| | |
Anthony Duke Vendome = Jean Queen of Navarre Henry II = Catherine Madeleine = James V
Bourbon | D'Albret Valois | de Medici Valois | Scotland
(1518-1562) | (1528-1572) (1518-1559) | (1519-1589) (1520-1537) | (1512-1542)
________________| _____________|__________________________|
| ____________________________|_____________|____________
| | | | | | |
Henry IV = Margaret | Francis II = Mary Queen of Scots | Henry III
Bourbon Valois | Valois Habsburg | Valois
(1553-1610) (1553-1574) | (1545-1560) (1527-1598) | (1551-1589)
| |
| Habsburg Tree Charles IX
| | Valois
Elizabeth = Philip II (1550-1574)
Valois Habsburg
(1545-1560) (1527-1598)
Sixteenth Century Rulers
This is taken from the excellent "
Years of Renewal: European History 1470-1600" edited by
John Lotheringten.
Spanish Holy Roman French Popes Ottoman
Kings Emperors Kings Sultans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isabella Charles VIII Bayezid II
1474-1504 1483-98 1481-1512
Ferdinand
1479-1516
1490---------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximillian I Alexander VI
1493-1519 1492-1503
Louis XII
1500-------------------------------1498-1515-----------------------------
Julius II
1503-1513
1510---------------------------------------------------------------------
Leo X Selim I
Francis I 1513-21 1512-20
Charles I 1515-47
1516-56 Charles V
1520----------------1519-56----------------------Adrian VI-----Suleiman--
1522-23 1520-66
Clement VII
1523-34
1530---------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul III
1534-49
1540---------------------------------------------------------------------
Henry II
1547-59
1550---------------------------------------------Julius III--------------
1550-55
Paul IV
Philip II Ferdinand I 1555-59
1556-98 1556-64 Francis II Pius IV
1559-60 1559-65
1560-------------------------------Charles IX----------------------------
Maximilian II 1560-74
1564-76 Pius V Selim II
1566-72 1566-74
1570---------------------------------------------------------------------
Gregory XIII
Henry III 1572-85 Murad III
Rudolph II 1574-89 1574-95
1576-1612
1580---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sixtus V
1585-90
Henry IV
1590-------------------------------1589-1610-----Gregory XIV-------------
1590-91
Clement VIII
1592-1605 Mohamed III
1595-1603
Philip III
1600----1598-1621--------------------------------------------------------