Charles V Hits CTRL+Z

In October 1555, a dying Charles the Fifth split the largest empire in Europe between two heirs. Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and the silver of the New World went to his son Philip. The imperial crown, plus Austria and the lands to the east, went to his brother Ferdinand. The most powerful man in Christendom looked at everything he held and cut it in half.He almost didn't. Years earlier, Charles had schemed to keep it whole, to put every crown on his son's head and make Philip both King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor. The plan died in a family fight. The empire stayed divided.What if it hadn't? What if one devout, distant, Spanish king had inherited the whole thing, and then tried to rule German princes who'd never accept him?This week we hit Control Z on the division, and follow the unbroken empire as it breaks everything it touches.