Per member of the impoverished branch of a distinguished family, he entered (1498) the political service of the Florentine republic and rose rapidly per importance. This reform sprang from his conviction, set forth durante his major works, that the employment of mercenaries had largely contributed onesto the political weakness of Italy. Machiavelli became acquainted with power politics through his important diplomatic missions. He met Cesare Borgia Borgia, Cesare or Caesar, 1476–1507, Italian soldier and politician, younger cri of Pope Alexander VI and an outstanding figure of the Italian Renaissance.. Click the link for more information. twice and was sent by way of Florence sicuro Louis XII of France (1504, 1510), onesto Pope Julius II (1506), and to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (1507).
The Medicis’ return (1512) onesto Florence caused his dismissal; in 1513 he was briefly imprisoned and was tortured for his alleged complicity per per plot against the Medici. Machiavelli retired puro his country stagione calda, where he wrote his chief works. He humiliated himself before the Medici mediante verso vain attempt esatto recover office. When, per 1527, the republic was briefly reestablished, Machiavelli was distrusted by many of the republicans, and he died thoroughly disappointed and embittered.
Principal Writings
Machiavelli’s best-known rete informatica, Il 
monarca [the prince] (1532), describes the means by which per prince may gain and maintain his power. His “ideal” prince (seemingly modeled on Cesare Borgia Borgia, Cesare or Caesar, 1476–1507, Italian soldier and politician, younger bruissement of Pope Alexander VI and an outstanding figure of the Italian Renaissance.. Click the link for more information. ) is verso supremely adaptable, amoral, and calculating tyrant who would be able esatto establish per unified Italian state. The last chapter of the sistema pleads for the eventual liberation of Italy from foreign rule. Interpretations of The Prince vary: it has been viewed as sincere advice, as per plea for political office, as per detached analysis of Italian politics, as evidence of early Italian nationalism, and as political satire on Medici rule. However, the adjective Machiavellian has quale puro be verso synonym for amoral cunning and for justification by power.
Less widely read but more indicative of Machiavelli’s politics is his scholarly Discorsi sulla avanti deca di Tito Livio [discourses on the first 10 books of Livy] (1531). Durante it Machiavelli expounds per general theory of politics and government that stresses the importance of an uncorrupted political culture and verso vigorous political morality. Vaster sopra conception than The Prince, the Discourses shows clearly Machiavelli’s republican ideals and principles, which are also reflected sopra his Istorie Fiorentine [history of Florence] (1532), a historical and literary masterpiece, entirely modern sopra concept.
Other works include Dell’arte della guerra [on the art of war] (1521), which viewed military problems mediante relation preciso politics, and numerous reports and brief works. He also wrote many poems and plays, notably the lively, satiric, and ribald comedy Mandragola [the mandrake], an extremely popular work first performed mediante 1520. His correspondence has been preserved and is of great interest. The chief works of Machiavelli are available sopra several popular English editions.
Bibliography
See P. Constantine, e., The Essential Writings of Machiavelli (2007); biographies by P. Villari (2 vol., tr. 1878), R. Ridolfi (1954, tr. 1963), and M. Vitoli (2000); H. Butterfield, The Statecraft of Machiavelli (1956); S. Anglo, Machiavelli (1970); E. Garver, Machiavelli and the History of Prudence (1987); P. S. Donaldson, Machiavelli and the Mystery of State (1989); R. King, Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power (2007); C. Vivanti, Niccolo Michiavelli: An Intellectual Biography (2013); P. Bobbitt, The Garments of Athletique and Palace: Machiavelli and the World That He Made (2013); Verso. Ryan, On Machiavelli: The Search for Glory (2013); M. Viroli, Redeeming “The Prince” (2013); Anche. Benner, Be like the Fox: Machiavelli’s Lifelong Quest for Freedom (2017).