about Machiavelli

Politician, playwright, historian, philosopher, and an Italian by birth, Niccolo Machiavelli lived during the budding of the Renaissance and is closely associated with the literary influences from that era. From 1469-1512 Machiavelli was simply a Tuscan statesman interested in political science. He was privately educated and quickly rose to a level of importance, holding the position of Secretary of the Florentine Republic until the Medici family regained authority in 1513, at which time Machiavelli was imprisoned, tortured, and exiled from his homeland on suspicion of treason. Pope Leo X eventually acquit him of sedition and allowed him to return to his family in Florence. It was during these last 15 years of his life that he wrote the books that have made him famous today. The Prince, originally written to Lorenzo dé Medici to attain favor, is the chef-d’oeuvre of Machiavelli’s career. Encouraging the emergence of totalitarian rulers, Machiavelli compiled his realpolitik paradigms to write an instructive discourse on how an ideal prince should intolerantly reign, exercising authoritative leadership. Today, “machiavellian” refers to devious or unethical methods of obtaining something for the betterment of an individual at the expense of others--derived directly from his chimerical book. Some of his other writing include: The Art of War, The Mandragola, and Discourses Upon the First Ten Books of Livy. He also wrote The History of Florence, commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici. After a brief re-introduction into society after his expulsion, Niccolo Machiavelli died in 1527 at the age of 58.