[2] The award is delivered to those individuals, organisations, projects or initiatives[3] who "with their effort and dedication, have contributed to the general understanding and appreciation of the cultural, scientific values, historians of Europe, as well as the process of unification of the European Community".
[5] Charles, born in Ghent (Flanders, Belgium) and descendant of Austrian and Spanish ancestors, ruled the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and other nations of Central Europe in the 16th century.
He was a polyglot (speaking French, Dutch, Latin, Spanish, Italian, and German) and a believer in the medieval idea of a united Christian Europe.
He was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, in the Aachen palatine chapel,[6] the same place where previously Charlemagne had been crowned.
This award was established in 1995,[7] to highlight the European spirit of Spain, similarly to other European prizes such as the Charlemagne Prize, awarded by the city of Aachen since 1950, and was presented to King Juan Carlos I in 1982.