A dynasty – two empires: After the abdication of Emperor Charles V, the Habsburgs split into a Spanish and an Austrian line. Arno Strohmeyer traces the history of both ruling houses until the end of the Spanish line in 1700 and the extinction of the Austrian branch in the male line in 1740. He outlines the rule, politics, religion, society, and culture of both empires. The narrative spans from Hungary to Mexico, from the uprising in the Netherlands to the Ottoman expansion, through the Thirty Years' War and the Habsburg-French rivalry, to missionary efforts, dynastic politics, and court culture. All central parameters of early modern history are reflected: colonialism, confessionalism, and religious conflicts, as well as the development of central monarchies. Arno Strohmeyer thus creates a compact portrait of Europe between Reformation and Revolution.