Safer to be Feared than Loved in The Prince      

 

Rulers throughout history would have different reactions to Machevelli’s statement,  “It is much safer to be feared than loved”. Rulers that wanted total power would have a tendency to agree with the claim but other rulers exerted power without being feared.

 Charlemange would disagree with Machevelli because he reaped great benefits from friendliness. Charlemange supported and cooperated with the church throughout his reign. In return, the church crowned him Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas day 800. If Charlemange would have repressed or frightened the church, the pope would never have appointed him emperor. Charlemange gave land to his nobles, who provided military services for him, not because they were afraid, but to repay him for the land. He was more successful being loved than he would have been if he was feared.

 Louis XI* would agree with Machevelli. Louis XI was called the Aterrible king@. He used cruel methods to keep his power and was very successful. His goal was to break the power of the nobles and he was able to do so. He made and broke whatever laws pleased him. He passed extreme taxes. Louis XI was able to set the stage for future kings to have absolute power because he was feared.

 Gregory VII would, in hindsight, strongly agree with Machiavelli. Gregory was a forgiving pope. He laid down the law with force, telling the Holy Roman Emperor that only men of the church could appoint bishops. The emperor insulted Gregory and Gregory excommunicated him. For three days, the emperor stood barefoot in the snow outside the pope’s castle begging for forgiveness. Gregory forgave him, a decision he later regretted. The Holy Roman Emperor kept choosing bishops and Gregory excommunicated him a second time. The Emperor marched his army into Rome, appointed another pope and forced Gregory into exile, where he died. Gregory should not have forgiven the Emperor. It would be preferable to be feared than to die in exile.

 Ferdinand and Isabella would also have agreed with Machiavelli. Their main accomplishment was to unify Spain, politically and religiously but, to do this, they used tactics of terror. Under previous Muslim rule, Spain had been tolerant of people of many different religions. Ferdinand and Isabella wanted to have only one religion in their country, so they forced Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or to leave. The inquisition, a church court that prosecuted those accused of heresy, was started under Ferdinand and Isabella’s rule. The inquisitors would question converted people, accusing them of still believing in their old religions. The inquisition burned heretics at the stake. This intolerance made Spain a unified country and allowed its rulers to have total power while the people lived in fear.

 Rulers that wanted absolute power, such as Louis XI, and Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain,agreed with Machiavelli. However, some rulers, like Charlemange, had successful reigns without being feared. Pope Gregory VII was too forgiving, but later would have agreed with Machavelli.