In 1513, Italian politician Niccolo Machiavelli wrote the book The Prince. The book was written as a handbook for princes. It is written in short, concise paragraphs. According to Machiavelli, he did not use "fine phrases, with swelling, pompous words" (12). It is more instructional than theoretical. Machiavelli simply states what the different types of principalities are and what attributes are needed in order for a prince to achieve success and greatness. His text remains factual and never states whether a principality is a desirable form of government or not. The reasons Machiavelli had for writing The Prince have been disputed, but remain simple in explanation. In 1516, he presented the work to Lorenzo de'Medici. It was a gift, as stated in the Dedication of The Prince, (12-13). Machiavelli's work was based on "the knowledge of great men... and a continued study of ancient history" (12), which Machiavelli has stated as a testament of events he has observed thro!

ughout his own life in politics; his own concrete, first-hand experiences.

In order to completely understand the purpose of The Prince, one must first know the situation in Italy during its creation

ps overpower mixed troops. Concerning militaries, Machiavelli believed a prince's main concern to be that of war and all things surrounding war (53).

Machiavelli also thought the way a prince kept his word was very important. A prince that is honest and keeps his word is ideal, but a prince that breaks his promise for the good of his people is better. He states a prince "should not keep his pledge when it is against his interest to do so and when his reasons for making the pledge are no longer operative" (62). Pope Alexander XI was a perfect example of this attitude.

life to serving his state; whether it was a republic or a principality. He was awarded positions as the Second Chancery and Secretary of the Council of Ten for War. A few years after this appointment and after the return of the Medici family's control of Florence, Machiavelli was jailed and tortured before being exiled. He then went to Sant' Andrea where he later wrote The Prince.

A prince should also be concerned with the arming of his loyal subjects. When arming his own principality he should also move to weaken and disarm newly acquired states (73). This practice will help protect his state and his reign. Also, a prince should take care in acquiring

Now, one can put together a profile of a successful prince by following Machiavelli's lessons. A prince should possess certain qualities. Machiavelli follows the examples of Julius II, Louis XII, and Ferdinand the Catholic when he describes these attributes. Machiavelli thought a good prince would be generous. However, a prince would suffer misfortune if he were too successful and created an "expenditure of [his] own resources" (59). He did believe that it was quite possible to be more successful without being generous at all. The campaigns of the

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