In the final chapter, Machiavelli directly appeals to the Medici family to use his advice to unite Italy and free it from foreign domination. He argues that Italy is ripe for a new leader to step in and restore it to greatness, urging Lorenzo de' Medici to take up this challenge. The work concludes with an exhortation for decisive action to seize this historic opportunity.

Themes

• Pragmatism and realism in politics

• Acquisition and maintenance of power

• The qualities of an effective ruler

• The relationship between virtue and fortune

• The use of cruelty and fear in governance

• Military prowess and self-reliance

• The tension between morality and political necessity

Setting

Niccolò Machiavelli wrote The Prince in early 16th century Renaissance Italy, a time of intense political conflict and instability. The Italian peninsula was divided into many small city-states and territories, which were constantly at war with each other and vulnerable to invasion by larger foreign powers like France and Spain. This fractured political landscape provided the backdrop for Machiavelli's analysis of statecraft and political power.

More specifically, Machiavelli composed the work in 1513 while in exile from Florence after the Medici family had retaken control of the city. He wrote The Prince as a practical guide for rulers, especially “new princes” who had recently acquired their positions of power. The book is addressed to Lorenzo de' Medici, the new ruler of Florence, in an attempt to gain favor with the Medici regime.

Key Figures

• Niccolò Machiavelli: The author and narrator. A Florentine diplomat and political theorist who wrote The Prince as a practical guide for rulers. Machiavelli draws on his own political experience and observations to offer advice on how princes can gain and maintain power, often advocating for pragmatism over morality.

• Lorenzo de' Medici: The dedicatee of The Prince. A member of the powerful Medici family that ruled Florence. Machiavelli hoped to gain favor with the Medici by offering Lorenzo political advice through this work.

• Cesare Borgia: A military leader and politician frequently cited as an example by Machiavelli. Borgia is praised for his cunning and ruthlessness in acquiring and maintaining power in the Romagna region of Italy.

• Pope Alexander VI: Cesare Borgia's father and a powerful political figure. Machiavelli discusses how Alexander VI's support enabled his son's conquests.

• Ferdinand of Aragon: The King of Spain, used as an example of a ruler who gained esteem through great feats. Machiavelli praises Ferdinand's conquest of Granada and other territories.

Quick facts

• It was written in 1513 while Machiavelli was in exile from Florence, but not published until 1532, five years after his death.

• The book was originally dedicated to Giuliano de' Medici, but after his death it was rededicated to Lorenzo de' Medici.

• It was written in vernacular Italian rather than Latin, which was unusual for political treatises at the time.

• The Prince was placed on the Catholic Church's Index of Prohibited Books in 1559.

• Machiavelli used Cesare Borgia as a key example of an effective ruler, despite Borgia's reputation for cruelty.

• The term “Machiavellian” became associated with political deceit and ruthlessness due to the book's content.

• Napoleon Bonaparte wrote extensive commentary on The Prince, which was found in his carriage after the Battle of Waterloo.

• Some scholars have interpreted the book as satirical, though this view is not widely accepted.

• Machiavelli coined the phrase “the ends justify the means,” which encapsulates much of the book's philosophy.

• The Prince is considered one of the first works of modern political philosophy.

About the Author

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was a Florentine statesman, diplomat, and political theorist who became one of the most influential figures in modern political philosophy. After serving as a senior official in the Florentine Republic for over a decade, Machiavelli was forced out of public life when the Medici family returned to power in 1512. It was during his subsequent political exile that he wrote his most famous works, including The Prince and Discourses on Livy.

Machiavelli is best known for his political treatise The Prince, which argues that political leaders must be willing to act immorally at times for the greater good of the state. His pragmatic and often cynical approach to politics earned him a reputation as a teacher of evil, with the term “Machiavellian” becoming synonymous with deceit and political manipulation. However, many scholars argue that Machiavelli's true aim was to describe political reality as it existed rather than how it ought to be.

Beyond his political writings, Machiavelli was also a poet, playwright, and historian. He wrote comedies such as Mandragola as well as a history of Florence commissioned by the Medici family. Machiavelli's works had a profound influence on political leaders and thinkers in the centuries after his death, helping to usher in more pragmatic and secular approaches to statecraft and political analysis.

Though controversial in his time and since, Machiavelli is widely regarded as one of the key figures in the development of modern political science and philosophy. His emphasis on studying politics through observation and historical examples, rather than abstract ideals, helped establish a new empirical approach.