Funeral Procession of Emperor Charles V

Funeral Procession of Emperor Charles V

When Emperor Charles V (1500–1558) died at his retirement home in San Jerónimo de Yuste, Spain, on September 21, 1558, his eldest son Philipp II (1527–1598 ) was staying in the Netherlands. Immediately, the latter organized an impressive procession through the streets of Brussels, which took place on December 29 and 30, 1558 and was held in honor of his father, whom he had already succeeded as Spanish monarch in 1556. This impressive event was captured in sweeping prints by the engravers Joannes and Lucas van Doetecum and the publishers Christophe Plantin and Hieronymus Cock, which bring the procession to life retrospectively - both for the (wealthy) people of the time and for us today.

Emperor Charles V

Charles V descended from the House of Habsburg and was King of Spain since 1516. Three years later he was elected Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and finally crowned in Aachen in 1520. His reign was marked primarily by the emerging Reformation movement and his unsuccessful efforts to protect and renew the Roman Catholic Church. Despite numerous wars, he was also unable to realize his hegemonic ruling concept, according to which he considered himself superior to the European kings. In addition, the expansion of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Suleyman I (ca. 1495–1566) kept him constantly on his toes. In 1556, marked by serious illness, he finally abdicated all offices and retired to a country house attached to the Hieronymite monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste, where he was also buried.

Stirring images

After the splendid funeral procession in honor of the deceased Emperor, the brothers Joannes and Lucas van Doetecum produced 34 impressive copperplate engravings in 1559, capturing the scale and pomp of the procession. They show the many participants, all dressed in black, but also allegorical figures. Thus the empty throne of the ruler on the Ship of Victory is accompanied by the virtues Spes, Fides, and Caritas, which are hope, faith, and love. Almost all depicted persons are distinguished by inscriptions and often additionally carry flags or coats of arms. Thus, these masterful images are not only an artful testimony of the funeral procession, but at the same time an important historical document of this event, especially since the six pages of text provide further information.

The second of eight editions

The French-language printed work preserved in the Spanish National Library belongs to the second edition published by Christophe Plantin and Hieronymus Cock in Antwerp. The work was edited a total of eight times, partly in book, partly in scroll form, and was sold in the five languages of the empire: French, Spanish, Dutch, German, and Italian. The first five editions with 34 copper engravings of the procession were published by Plantin and Cock. Hendrik Hondius (1573–1650) released a sixth edition in The Hague with three additional engravings depicting a Dance of Death. The seventh and eighth editions were finally published in The Hague and Antwerp by Hondius and Gillis Hendricx (fl. 1640–1677).