Niccolò Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli (May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was a Florentine statesman and political philosopher. As a theorist, Machiavelli was the key figure in realistic political theory, crucial to European statecraft during the Renaissance. His two most famous books, Discorsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio (Discourses on Livy) and Il Principe (The Prince), were written in the hopes of improving the conditions of the Northern Italian principalities, but became general handbooks for a new style in politics. The Prince, written to encourage the appearance of a political savior who would unify the corrupt city-states and fend off foreign conquest, advocated the theory that whatever was expedient was necessary—an early example of realpolitik.

Writings and death 1512-1527

On the return of the Medici, Machiavelli, who for a few weeks had

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vainly hoped to retain his office under the new masters of Florence,

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was dismissed by decree dated November 7, 1512. Shortly after this he

Related Topics:
November 7 - 1512

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was accused of complicity in an abortive conspiracy against the

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Medici, imprisoned, and put to the question by torture. The new

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Medici pontiff, Pope Leo X, procured his release, and he retired to his

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small property at Sant'Andrea in Percussina (town of San Casciano in Val di Pesa), near Florence, where he devoted

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himself to literature. In a letter to Francesco Vettori, dated December 13, 1513, he has left a very interesting description of his life at this period, which elucidates his methods and his motives in writing The Prince. After describing his daily occupations with his family and neighbours, he writes: "The evening being come, I return home and go to my study; at the entrance I pull off my peasant - clothes, covered with dust and dirt, and put on my noble court dress, and thus becomingly re-clothed I pass into the ancient courts of the men of old, where, being lovingly received by them, I am fed with that food which is mine alone; where I do not hesitate to speak with them, and to ask for the reason of their actions, and they in their benignity answer me; and for four hours I feel no weariness, I forget every trouble, poverty does not dismay, death does not terrify me; I am possessed entirely by those great men. And because Dante says:

Related Topics:
December 13 - 1513 - Dante

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:Knowledge doth come of learning well retained,

Related Topics:
Knowledge - Learning

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:Unfruitful else,

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I have noted down what I have gained from their conversation, and have composed a small work on 'Principalities,' where I pour myself out as fully as I can in meditation on the subject, discussing what a principality is, what kinds there are, how they can be acquired, how they can be kept, why they are lost: and if any of my fancies ever pleased you, this ought not to displease you: and to a prince, especially to a new one, it should be welcome: therefore I dedicate it to his Magnificence Giuliano. Filippo Casavecchio has seen it; he will be able to tell you what is in it, and of the discourses I have had with him; nevertheless, I am still enriching and polishing it."

Related Topics:
Principalities - Meditation - Subject - Giuliano

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The "little book" suffered many vicissitudes before attaining the formin which it has reached us. Various mental influences were at work during its composition; its title and patron were changed; and for some unknown reason it was finally dedicated to Lorenzo II de' Medici.

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Although Machiavelli discussed with Casavecchio whether it should be

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sent or presented in person to the patron, there is no evidence that

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Lorenzo ever received or even read it: he certainly never gave

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Machiavelli any employment. Although it was plagiarized during

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Machiavelli's lifetime, The Prince was never published by him, and its text is still disputable. Christian Gauss?s (1999) introduction to Machiavelli?s The Prince places its publication at about 1537 adding that it had been circulated in manuscript form, and plagiarized for many years. The work follows Erasmus? The Education of a Christian Prince by about 26 years, and presents a leadership viewpoint that is essentially 180 degrees apart from the more serene work of the peaceful priest. Additional comparisons are available on the page describing Erasmus. (Reference: Gauss, C. (1999). Introduction to The Prince. New York, NY: Signet. First published in 1949, p. 11.)

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Machiavelli concludes his letter to Vettori thus: "And as to this

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little thing , when it has been read it will be seen that

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during the fifteen years I have given to the study of statecraft I

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have neither slept nor idled; and men ought ever to desire to be

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served by one who has reaped experience at the expense of others. And

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of my loyalty none could doubt, because having always kept faith I

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could not now learn how to break it; for he who has been faithful and

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honest, as I have, cannot change his nature; and my poverty is a

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witness to my honesty."

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Before Machiavelli had got The Prince off his hands he commenced his

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Discourse on the First Decade of Titus Livius, which should be read

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concurrently with The Prince. These and several minor works occupied

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him until the year 1518, when he accepted a small commission to look

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after the affairs of some Florentine merchants at Genoa. In 1519 the

Related Topics:
Genoa - 1519

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Medicean rulers of Florence granted a few political concessions to her

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citizens, and Machiavelli with others was consulted upon a new

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constitution under which the Great Council was to be restored; but on

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one pretext or another it was not promulgated.

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In 1520 the Florentine merchants again had recourse to Machiavelli to

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settle their difficulties with Lucca, but this year was chiefly

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remarkable for his re-entry into Florentine literary society, where he

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was much sought after, and also for the production of his Art of War.

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It was in the same year that he received a commission at the

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instance of Cardinal de' Medici to write the History of Florence, a

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task which occupied him until 1525. His return to popular favour may

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have determined the Medici to give him this employment, for an old

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writer observes that "an able statesman out of work, like a huge

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whale, will endeavour to overturn the ship unless he has an empty cask

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to play with."

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When the History of Florence was finished, Machiavelli took it to

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Rome for presentation to his patron, Giulio de' Medici, who had in

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the meanwhile become Pope Clement VII. It is

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somewhat remarkable that, as, in 1513, Machiavelli had written The Prince

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for the instruction of the Medici after they had just regained

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power in Florence, so, in 1525, he dedicated the History of Florence

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to the head of the family when its ruin was now at hand. In that year

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the battle of Pavia destroyed the French rule in Italy, and left

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Francis I of France a prisoner in the hands of his great rival, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. This

Related Topics:
Francis I of France - Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

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was followed by the sack of Rome, upon the news of which the popular

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party at Florence threw off the yoke of the Medici, who were once more

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banished.

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Machiavelli was absent from Florence at this time, but hastened his

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return, hoping to secure his former office of secretary to the "Ten of

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Liberty and Peace." Unhappily he was taken ill soon after he reached

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Florence, where he died on 22nd June 1527.

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