Analysis the Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

According to ''Encyclopedia of World Biography'', Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469, in Florence, Italy. His parents, Bernardo, a lawyer with a small salary, and Bartolomea had 3 other children, two of whom were girls and the other a boy. Machiavelli started his education at age 7, and from a young age, Niccolo had a love for books and reading, which showed that it had run through the family. In 1502, Niccolo married Marrietta Corsini, who then had 6 children, four sons, and two daughters.[1] After the Medici family fell from their rule in 1492, Niccolo became a diplomat. He served that position for 14 years in the Florentine Republic, Italy. [2] During the Medici family's exile, in 1498, Machiavelli was appointed the chancellor and to the office of the second chancery of the Florentine Republic.

He was made in charge of the issuance of official government letters and carrying out policy decisions. As stated in ''The Famous People'', Machiavelli was an activist and attempted to organize a militia from the citizens of the Florentine Republic.[3] In 1512, the Medici army attacked Florentine, defeating Machiavelli's militia. He was dismissed from his office [3], then later arrested, imprisoned, and tortured for the accusation of scheming against the Medici Family.[1] Banished from any active political role, Machiavelli turned to his attention and time to writing [3]. He wrote several fictional works such as plays and poems, but the most famous book out of all his works has to be The Prince.[3] He wrote The Prince in 1513, in efforts of advising the ruler of Florence on how to maintain control and stay in power.

It was also his unsuccessful effort to gain an advisory post in the government. The book, however, was published 5 years after Machiavelli's death. Leaders as prestigious as John F. Kennedy and Napolean I have read The Prince, contemplated, and debated Niccolo's ideas. His book has been described many times as a straightforward and shockingly direct guide for rulers who's goal is to conquer existing land or establish and control a new one. Machiavelli based his advice and his program on real-life examples [4]. As a historian, Machiavelli in his History of Florence focused on the underlying causes in the history of the Florentines rather than the chain of events. Discourses of the First Decade of Titus Livy, one of Machiavelli's other works, tells about the church's state at the time. He argued that the Roman church had lost its devotion to religion, and also suggested that the Church was destroyed by its own corruption. Niccolo had a reputation of being evil and disloyal, which was completely undeserved.

As stated also in ''Encyclopedia of World Biography'', his works were banned in the first printed Index in 1559. In England, during Queen Elizabeth's reign, he was represented as evil on the stage and in literature. The year following his death, he was falsely blamed in a poem by Gabriel Harvey for 4 principal crimes: poison, murder, deception, and violence [1]. Machiavelli's values are appreciated in the nineteenth-century concept of humanism. Although he was unappreciated at times, Niccolo Machiavelli's ideas still affect people's thinking today worldwide.[2] In his later years, Niccolò Machiavelli stayed in a small village just outside of Florence. He died in the city on June 21, 1527. His tomb is in the church of Santa Croce in Florence, which, ironically, he had been banned from entering during the last years of his life. Today, Machiavelli is regarded as the "father of modern political theory'' [2].

Niccolo Machiavelli quotes: -“Men do not know to be neither entirely good nor entirely bad” [5] -“Everything is not political, but politics is interested in everything” [5] - “There are two ways of fighting: one with laws, the other with force. The first is that of men, the second to beasts. But very often the first is not enough, there is need use the second ” [5] -“Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved” [6] -“Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.” [6]

Bibliography :

[1] “NiccolÒ Machiavelli Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, Advameg, Inc., www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Machiavelli-Niccol.html.

[2]“Niccolò Machiavelli.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 8 Mar. 2018, www.biography.com/people/niccolò-machiavelli-9392446.“Niccolò Machiavelli.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 8 Mar. 2018, www.biography.com/people/niccolò-machiavelli-9392446.

[3] “Who Was Niccolò Machiavelli? Everything You Need to Know.” Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline, 26 July 2017, www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/niccol-di-bernardo-dei-machiavelli-2438.php.

[4] “The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli - Reading Guide - PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books.” PenguinRandomhouse.com, www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/531158/the-prince-by-niccolo-machiavelli/9780140449150/readers-guide/.

[5] Tim. “Machiavelli Quotes.” Philosophy & Philosophers, Philosophy & Philosophers, 26 Nov. 2012, www.the-philosophy.com/machiavelli-quotes.

[6] “Niccolò Machiavelli Quotes (Author of The Prince).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/16201.Niccol_Machiavelli.

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