The Prince

MACHIAVELLI’S
THE PRINCE

In the book, The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli lays the groundwork for a prince to rescue his homeland, Italy, and his place of birth, the city of Florence, from the “barbarians” that had invaded (King, 380). Throughout The Prince it would appear that the experience of seeing his country conquered and dismembered during his life caused Machiavelli to have a poor view of human nature and a general distrust of people. This is very apparent as he details the way a prince should wage war and rule the citizens through fear rather than love.

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was a politician and historian born to a minor patrician family in the city of Florence, Italy (King, 379). Throughout Machiavelli’s life he watched Italy and the city of Florence, which he loved, be invaded several times and specifically by King Charles VIII in 1494. The city of Florence eventually fell to a new form of republican government where Machiavelli secured a position writ...