Niccolo Machiavelli

849 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The contribution of Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher who lived from 1469 to 1527. Machiavelli was best known for his book, The Prince, he was an Italian diplomat, a philosopher, and an Italian historian during the Renaissance. Niccolo Machiavelli was born in a town called Florence in Italy on May 3rd in 1469 to a wealthy family and was believed to have attended the University of Florence and had received excellent education. He was appointed as the Second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence and was responsible for diplomatic and military affairs.
Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence (Firenze in the Italian language) in the year 1469. The Machiavelli family are thought to have descended from the Marques of Tuscany. The Marques is a Royal and Noble rank given to one in Renaissance age Europe. Since the Machiavelli’s had descended from Marques’ they were wealthy and were able to give Niccolo a good education. Machiavelli was born in a disorderly era, with popes waging greedy wars against Italian cities and states so that they could gain more land and power, as a result of this many people and cities fell from power in that era. Growing up in this era, and having such a background caused Machiavelli to learn about these subjects; war, and politics and this is what got him into politics as he grew up. Machiavelli entered his position as the second chancellor after the Medici Family was removed after 60 years of being in power. In his 14 years of service he carried out numerous diplomatic missions to the Papacy in Rome and many Italian states. In the later years of his service, Machiavelli was responsible for the Florentine armed forces. Machiavelli disbanded the mercenaries from the forces due to their unreliable ...

... middle of paper ...

...t`s why he was also known as “Makaveli”. Niccolo Machiavelli died at the age of 58 and was buried in Florence, ironically, because he was exiled from there.

Works Cited

(2009). empiricism (philosophy) -- Encyclopedia Britannica - Britannica.com.

Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/186146/empiricism.

(2003). Niccolò Machiavelli (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/machiavelli/.

(2002). Niccolo Machiavelli, 1469-1527 - The History Guide.

Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/machiavelli.html.

(2010). Niccolo Machiavelli – the Cunning Critic of Political Reason | History ...

Retrieved January 14, 2014, from http://www.historytoday.com/vincent-barnett/niccolo-machiavelli-%E2%80%93-cunning-critic-political-reason.

Show More
Related

  • Machiavelli's Reputation in the Modern World

    2975 Words  | 6 Pages

    Niccolò Machiavelli was known during much his life as a part of the republican government in Florence until 1512. At that time, the Medici family took over the city and ruled under a more monarchical system. From that point until his death in 1527, Machiavelli was always just on the outside of Florentine politics. He would occasionally get work from the Medici but his tasks were never as important as they had been under the republican government of the past. As he was trying to find his way back into a major role in Florentine government, Machiavelli wrote The Prince, a manual of sorts that explained how a monarch should rule his state and why. While Machiavelli had been a strong proponent of republican ideals in the past, in The Prince, his ideas are far from adhering to republicanism. The book seems to promote the ideal monarch as a cold, heartless person whose only goal in life should be to retain power, regardless of who or what he destroys. This includes killing enemies of the state, personal enemies of the Prince, and even, in some cases, friends or family. While The Prince was not the first book of this kind, it was the first to suggest a government that rules with no regard for religion or morality. Machiavelli did not particularly pay heed to religious law in the way he lived his life, but he also did not particularly care for the Catholic Church of the time because of the lack of morality demonstrated by the Pope's and other supposedly "religious men's" actions at the time. There are other works that Machiavelli wrote both before and after The Prince that survive today, as well as letters he wrote to his friends that demonstrate a different set of ideals than th...

    Read More

  • Machiavelli: The Renaissance’s Anti-Humanist

    2445 Words  | 5 Pages

    Born in 1469 to an economically limited family under the parents of Bernardo di Niccolò di Buoninsegna and Bartolomea de’Nelli, Niccolò de Bernardo Machiavelli was exposed to numerous books covering law and Classical texts in his youth, which he consequently learned to reject even before entering in Florentine politics.2 A self-taught intellectual like his father Bernardo, Machiavelli began studies in Latin at age seven. Although he was well-learned in the language by his young adulthood, he quickly refused to write his treatises ...

    Read More

  • Machiavelli's Ideal Prince In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    544 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ideal prince should understand warfare and statecraft. Machiavelli was born in Florence Italy in 1496. He served as an administrator and a diplomat in the Florence Republic, and was imprisoned at various points of his career. One of his notable positions was serving as a political advisor to the Borgia family. He knew many political leaders of Italy, particularly Cesare Borgia, who he wrote The Prince about.

    Read More

  • Machiavelli’s The Prince

    653 Words  | 2 Pages

    Niccolo Machiavelli lived in Florence, Italy in the 1400’s. The country of Italy was divided into city-states that had their own leaders, but all pledged alliance to their king. In time in which great leaders were needed in order to help the development of a city-state and country, Machiavelli had a theory that man needed a leader to control them. In his book The Prince, he speaks of the perfect leader.

    Read More

  • Machiavelli and Rousseau's Views on Human Nature and Government

    558 Words  | 2 Pages

    Machiavelli’s views were drastically different from other humanists at his time. He strongly promoted a secular society and felt morality was not necessary but stood in the way of a successfully governed state. He stated that people generally tended to work for their own best interests and gave little thought to the well being of the state. He distrusted citizens saying, “In time of adversity, when a state is in need of its citizens, there are few to be found.” In his writings in The Prince, he constantly questioned the citizens’ loyalty and warned for the leaders to be wary in trusting citizens. His radical and distrusting thoughts on human nature were derived out of concern for Italy’s then unstable government. Machiavelli also had a s...

    Read More

  • Analysis of More's The Prince and Utopia

    1546 Words  | 4 Pages

    Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy in 1469 to a middleclass family. The time in which Machiavelli lived Italy as a country was not united but divide and split into little providences and republics. He latter became responsible for the Florentine militia against the Medici government and rule. When the Medici power reclaimed Florence Machiavelli was arrested for conspiracy he was tortured and then banished from Florence. During his banishment he wrote the book The Prince in 1513 which is dedicated to the new prince of Florence Lorenzo De Medici. The book was a discourse to the prince on how to run a country and also a way Machiavelli can get a job working in politics again.

    Read More

  • The Prince Controversy

    1883 Words  | 4 Pages

    Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy. Fortunately, Machiavelli had a excellent education as a child. Paolo da Ronciglione, a renown Latin teacher, taught Machiavelli. He then attended the University of Florence and received an excellent education there. Later Machiavelli pursued a career within the government, first he became a clerk, and then an ambassador. Soon after, Machiavelli became Chancellor of Florence and engaged in tons of diplomatic activity which also allowed him to travel frequently. It also placed him in charge of Florentine military, making ...

    Read More

  • Machiavelli: The Prince of Political Writing

    1219 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Machiavelli wanted to return to his longtime dream and understanding of politics. One of his goals in writing The Prince was to win the favor of Lorenzo de’ Medici, then-governor of Florence and the person

    Read More

  • Political Ideas of Niccolo Machiavelli, Francesco Guicciardini, and Thomas Hobbes

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Donald Kelley's Version of History, the Medici family had brought a form of stability to Florence, but the golden age of Florentine republic soon declined after the death of Lorenzo Medici. Throughout his life Machiavelli had come to develop a strong love for Florence, and an absolute honorable sense of service to those ruling it. He hoped to make it great, powerful, and lasting like that of the Roman Empire.

    Read More

  • Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince: A Guide to Being an Effective Ruler

    1042 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Prince”, by Niccolo Machiavelli, is a series of letters written to the current ruler of Italy, Lorenzo de’ Medici. These letters are a “how-to” guide on what to do and what not to do. He uses examples to further express his views on the subject. The main purpose was to inform the reader how to effectively rule and be an acceptable Prince. Any ruler who wishes to keep absolute control of his principality must use not only wisdom and skill, but cunning and cruelness through fear rather than love. Machiavelli writes this book as his summary of all the deeds of great men.

    Read More

  • Machiavelli and Gandhi

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ahimsa is a concept that was practiced by political and ideological leader Mohandas Gandhi; a concept that he used to promote the use of non-violent tactics and passive resistance against colonial rule in India. Mohandas Gandhi used Ahimsa as the means to an end and therefore, ultimately rejected Machiavelli's advice on the qualities a prince must possess to retain his title. Machiavelli advises that the leaders have military experience and, “In peace time he must train himself more than in times of war. This can be done in two ways: one by action, the other by the mind” (Jacobus 40). Ghandi does not have military experience and Ahimsa, loosely translated, means abstinence from violence either by thought, word, or deed. Ahimsa requires a harmless mind, mouth, and hand (Maheshwari). The concept of Ahimsa and the actions of Mohandas Gandhi directly contradict the qualities and practices of a Machiavellian prince or leader.

    Read More

  • Separating Political Conduct and Personal Morality in Niccolò Machiavelli's, The Prince

    2147 Words  | 5 Pages

    To understand the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli, it is necessary to understand the world of Niccolò Machiavelli, Renaissance Italy. The region was not one nation as it is today, rather a collection of several city-states, which contained internal fighting between powerful families, fighting with each other. This era differed from the preceding middle ages in many respects, the pope's power was weakened, money controlled power instead of noble birth, and there was a revival of ancient Greek and Roman literature, architecture and art by a new breed of people, the humanists. These changes created the environment in which Machiavelli lived. He saw how the quarrelling was weakeni...

    Read More

  • Human Nature In Plato's The Prince By Niccolo Machiavelli

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    Niccolo Machiavelli was a political philosopher from Florence, Italy. The period that Machiavelli lived in was the "rebirth" of art in Italy and rediscovery of ancient philosophy, literature and science. He wrote The Prince, in which he discusses the proper way of living as a prince. His ideas, which were not viewed as beneficial at the time, were incredibly cynical and took time for the rest of the population to really catch onto the ideas. Machiavelli’s view of human nature was that humans are born evil, and while they can show good traits, and the common man is not to be trusted. Unlike Confucius, Machiavelli believes that human nature cannot be changed, and unlike Plato, where Plato believes in humans as social beings. Each respected view

    Read More

  • Machiavelli's Leadership

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    The time of the Renaissance is one filled with growth of intellect, beauty of nature, the dignity of mankind, and the rising of artists. It is characterized from the move of scholasticism, a devotion specifically for the theological and philosophical teachings of the Church to humanism, a devotion to the humanities of rhetoric, arithmetic, and other subjects. One example of this movement can be seen in Machiavelli’s The Prince in which describes Niccolo Machiavelli’s ideal ruler and how to obtain stability, which was lacking as during the time of his writing this, there was a power shift from the Mediterranean to Northern Europe. How Machiavelli describes his ideal prince and his leadership is one that in which he is

    Read More

  • Machiavelli: The Father of Modern Political Science

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the time 1469, a child by the name of Niccolo Di Bernardo Del Machiavelli was born. Some may know him as an Italian philosopher, humanist, or an evil minded fellow associated with the corruptness of totalitarian government. In Machiavelli’s home state of Florence, he introduces the modern political theory. Hoping to gain influence with the ruling Medici family, Niccolo wrote a pamphlet called The Prince (Prezzolini). Niccolo lived a nondescript childhood and his main political experience in his youth was watching Savonarola from afar.

    Read More

More about Niccolo Machiavelli

Open Document