Living from 1469 to 1527, Niccolo Machiavelli saw the height of the Italian Renaissance. This time saw some of Italy's greatest achievements in art and science. He also observed many political scandals.
Always interested in politics, he got his big break in 1498, at the age of twenty nine. He became second chancellor of the Florentine Republic. He used those experiences to write his most famous literary work, The Prince. Machiavelli also wrote narratives, plays, and poems. Starting his formal education at the age of seven, he studied Latin, considered a gateway at this time. Later, he was accepted as a student at the University of Florence. During his stay as second Chancellor, Machiavelli received the rare privilege of going to France, Switzerland, and Germany.
In Italian history, Machiavelli is considered to be a figure of political morality. In English European history, however, he is seen as a diabolical figure.
Famous posthumous portrait of Niccolò Machiavelli...
Santi di Tito’s famous portrait of Niccolò Mach...
Niccolo Machiavelli 1 uThe Europeans have a myth that the saying " Old Nick", referring to the devil, is derived from Niccolo. Following this jealous period of time, however, he was held as a man of integrity and value. He is held as the founder of modern political thought. Throughout his works, he supports his conclusions with experiences from the public and from his own life.
Machiavelli had many positions and ideals that he stuck by throughout his political life. One is a simple ideal. It is principalities. They are either hereditary or new. Hereditary principalities are those whose government has been in the family of a ruler for an extended period of time. New principalities are basically a new territory added to a government. Another type is a mixed principality. This is where old territories are transferred to and new ones acquired by a new ruler. This, according to Machiavelli, is the...