Favorite Empire in 1500-1600's?

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

I would say the Holy Roman Empire for me!

[Kagemusha]

Can you tell us the reasons why you prefer HRE over the rest of the options? I have to think a bit of this before giving any answer.

[Fragony]

Tie between the English and the Dutch, the English are ALWAYS cool, and the Dutch ruled an trading empire from our beloved little swamp.

[Samurai Waki]

Ottoman Empire... I always imagine lots of furniture, and I don't consider that a bad thing.

[Noncommunist]

Ottomans, they reached their peak and a decent amount of my ancestors lived there, some probably less than happily.

[Prince Cobra]

Spain. "The Empire on which the sun never sets" It is a long story but I had a definite Spanish period when I was 6th grade. I was fascinated by the big potential of the state that was watsted: the luck of Charles V (Charles I of Spain), the ambition of Philip II the rise and fall of the Spanish Habsburgs, the attempt of the Bourbons to recover the state. And of course, the famous Spanish infantry. Fascinating.

Of course, I can't hide the Spanish history has its dark side: the Inquisition (not that many of Protestant states were less enthusiasthic in hunting witches), the savage attitude towards the Indians (though the demographic catastrophy was more of a result of diseases). I also found it interesting the way the Catholic church defended the native population and how the pillaging of America turned into a synthesis of cultures. The Spanish Empire shaped a continent and a half, at least and was one of the biggest of powers of Europe ever.

Meet with the (leading according to the chart) Ottomans at Lepanto. :p