Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-12-09
THE WORLDS
GREAT EVENTS
ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE


ems Of clocks and watches
Il cannot even make two clocks Gel
IN unison he whined Peesishly IN,
wonder / failed TO make millions o
people think alike J"
The old clock fancfer was Charles =
who had given up affairs Of state a
the age OF ffty-six. and who wal
spending the two remaining years Of
his life IN monastic retirement. he
had had half century OF experiences
such as lent certain pathos to his
complaint about the clocks. Born IN
1900 to the greatest power ever in.
herited by mortal man. he had risen
to heights reached by no other ruler
Of his century and had lived to see
his most cherished plans fall to pieces.
Here are some OF the titles that
Charles fell heir TO. as a mere boy
the archduchy OF Austria. the sover-
eighty Of the Netherlands the king
doms Of Spain. Sicily and Navarro.
and the rulership of all SPANS
American possessions. In addition to
this, when only nineteen. he was
chosen emperor OF Germany. and at
twenty-six was crowned king of Italy.
He ruled four nations which had Moth
ing In common and no ties OF mutual
interest. These facts. OF course, led
to endless rivalries. revolts and inter
national complications
Moreover. a thrOng Of outside enc
mics rose against the young monarch
Francis b king of France. who had
been one OF his competitors for the
German crown. promptly declared war
on him. selling the duchies of Milan
and Burgundy. which Charles regard
ed as his own. SOIiman. the Magnii-
cent (under whom. from 1920 to 1865.
Turkey reached it's pinnacle of great
ness). invaded Hungary. advancing to
the very walls of Vienna. and, with
his fleets, held the Mediterranean,
menacing Italy and Spain. The Meth
eriands. too, were ripening for revolt.
while a furious revolution broke out
In Spain.
Added TO this. an Augustinian monk
Of Germany. Martin Luther. defied the
pope, protested against certain tenets
Of the Catholic church and advanced
q reformed" creed. He drew TO him
thousands of Germans, his adherents
becoming known as Professionals
The security Of the Catholic church.
Of which Charles was the acknowl
edged champion, was thus menaced-
Altogether he had his hands full.
To beat back Frances armies on
the Flemish frontier and in Italy. to
check the Turks on the Mediterranean
and In his own duchy OF Austria. to
stem the tide of religious disagree
ments and to reconcile clashing politi-
cal parties-this was the task before
him. He entered on an eight-year
war with France, during which he
drove the French from Italy and cap
tured King Francis. He forced a hui
initiating treaty on Francis. This the
latter at once broke, but in a second
war was again beaten
SOliman led a great Turkish army
over the German frontier and Charles
advanced In person to meet him. and
drove the Turks back to their own
territory. Then Francis, forming an
alliance with S0iiman, again invaded
italy. But Charles opposed the al
lies so successfully that they were
soon glad to sign a treaty OF peace.
The revolt IN Spain was put down
and the Netherlands for the time APP
peased, so Charles had at last time
to attend to the Reformation. which,
under Luther, MeIancthon and other
teachers, had by this time swept Ger
many from end to end. The EN-
Deror md crushed every nIilit8Ey f1s=
and had Inundated every royal rival;
but here, In this new religious move
ment at home, he found an opponent
he could not conquer power that
.hrove under persecution
Council after council was held,
scheme after scheme proposed Com
promises were suggested, but found
lavor with neither party. AS II this
me setback had undermined his whole
sdIfice of greatness, 30 the failure
Il Charles In reconcillng the religious
secfs was followed by a series OF new
iisappointments and misfortunes- He
had hoped to bequeath all his power
and possessions to his son Philip, but
10 this the German electors would
not agree. SO he foresaw that on
his death the mighty one-man empire
be held would be split up as had
hose OF Alexander and Chariemagne.
To add to his worries. Henry II tson
u Francis u of France. backed by
1ther rulers. invaded Germany and
captured several important cities.
notably Metx. Charles sought to re
capture Metz. but failed. and until
$50 It remained In French hands
Charles made one more throw OF
he dice against fate. He arranged a
marriage between his son Philip and
Queen Mary Of England. thus forming
IN English alliance 70 strengthen his
,wn power and that Of the Catholic I
.hurch. But the couple had no chill
iren to perpetuate the scheme.
His most cherished plans set at
,aught. his own subjects refusing 70