Charles V - Success or failure?

I know that argument but there are a few problems. For instance, Poland had a mighty parliament while Prussia had a self-centered absolutist bastard as a king. But Prussia made it big time.

Second problem: the English were taxed more heavily than the French at that time and God only knows why the Brits complained less.

Third, for a long time the Dutch market system worked better than the English one and many continental bonds were more sought after than those of the English king.

Finally, the English government was certainly not the only one caring about economy (see for instance the bio of Turgot).

Overall one can criticize as simplistic the causation seen between constitutional form and economic success.

On this subject I dare to advise you to read the wonderful and short (if difficult to find) book by Stephen Epstein called Freedom and Growth.

The fact that such an organization as the Englsh East India Cie thrived both before and after 1688 indicates that the link found by Doug North was certainly not that strong.

One could argue that the English superior shipyards and the fact that their field yield more crops or their strategic advantage as a island (never invaded after 1485) or the protestant religion and so many other factors were responsible for England's success. I think that saying that only one of them was essential is clearly simplistic.

I didn't say that economy was not the only reason for England's success I said that the type of government had little to do with England's success.

Yowser, kept away for a few days and it all gets way from me

I think Charles V has in impossible job as the empire which he was intrusted to protect was rotting from the inside, the pope was willing to risk the empire in order to control charles, even siding with those who where attacking him, not to metnion not sending troops or money for the most part.

It is possible that Charles separated the Habsburg lands partly in order to focus the Habsburgs' attention on the Turks.  He, himself, had too much to do when the bureaucracy was in its formative stages.  By handing the central European territories to Ferdinand, that Habsburg could focus on the Turkish threat on land as it was closest to his dominions.