Niccolò Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was a Florentine diplomat, political philosopher, and historian. His writings, especially The Prince and Discourses on Livy, examine political power, statecraft, and republican government.

Florentine Republic: A republican government that ruled Florence during periods between Medici family regimes. Machiavelli served this republic as a diplomat and official before the Medici returned to power.
The Prince: Machiavelli’s political treatise on acquiring, maintaining, and losing principalities. It distills his analysis of political rule into advice for a new prince.
Cesare Borgia: An Italian military leader and ruler whose campaigns expanded papal territories in central Italy. Machiavelli observed Borgia’s political and military conduct while serving as a Florentine envoy.
Machiavellianism: A political outlook associated with strategic calculation, deception, and the pursuit of power. The label reduces a complex body of writing to the ruthless tactics popularly associated with The Prince.
Renaissance humanism: An intellectual movement that revived classical learning and emphasized the study of human affairs. Machiavelli adapted classical history and literary methods to the politics of his own time.
Discourses on Livy: Machiavelli’s study of republican politics, organized around the first ten books of Livy’s history of Rome. It develops his account of how republics gain strength and preserve liberty.
Lorenzo de' Medici: The ruler of Florence from 1513 to 1519 and a member of the Medici family. Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to Lorenzo in an effort to regain political favor.
Republicanism: A political tradition that favors government without a hereditary monarch and emphasizes civic participation. Machiavelli’s defense of republican liberty complicates his reputation as an adviser to princes.
Roman Republic: The system of government that ruled Rome before the establishment of the Roman Empire. Its institutions and conflicts provide central examples in the Discourses on Livy.
The Art of War: Machiavelli’s dialogue on military organization, strategy, and the role of citizen soldiers. It extends his political concerns into the practical problem of defending a state.

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