NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

A SON OF FLORENCE

• He was born in Florence on May 3rd, 1469.
• He entered Florentine government service at age 29.
• This was after the fall of the Medici.
• He acted as 2nd chancellor and secretary of the ten of liberty and peace.
• During this time he engaged in numerous diplomatic missions.

A MAN OF POLITICS

• He is most famous for his work "The Prince".
• "The Prince" was written in 1513 after the Medici's return to power.
• He dedicated it to members of the family so as to enter their good graces.
• The Prince described how it was he believed rulers should act.
• It is for this work he was labeled an apostle of the devil by many.

THE PRINCE

• "The Prince" expressed the belief that rulers should do so with fear.
• It exemplified his belief that rulers should set aside common values.
• And instead pursue the use of violence, cruelty, deception, and fear to rule with power.
• Considered a humanist because he studied human weakness and how to overthrow it.
• He also was focused in the corruption of institutionalized church.

HIS MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1498 - entered Florentine government service.
• 1498-1512 - Engaged in numerous diplomatic missions.
• 1506 - Implemented the famous militia ordanance of 1506.
• 1512 - Ordered an army of 12,000 civilian conscripts to withstand a Spanish invasion.

MORE ACHIEVMENTS

• They failed and the Medici returned to power. He is briefly iris owned/tortured.
• 1525 - Recalled to government service by the Medici.
• 1527 - Medici overthrown and he was excluded from office.
• 1527 - He dies

HIS EFFECT ON THE MODERN WORLD

• Machiavelli accomplished much in his life.
• Rising to power in the Florentine government.
• His book the Prince has been disputed for years. Some believe it satire, others brilliance
• It has impacted the modern world and continues to today,
• by forcing people to confront questions about politics and morality.

SOURCES

• Bu.edu
• Plato.stanford.edu
• Biography.com
• Brainyquote.com