Niccolò Machiavelli

Lore & Background

Niccolò Machiavelli was a Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian of the Italian Renaissance. He is widely regarded as the father of modern political philosophy and political science. His most famous work, *The Prince*, written around 1513 and published posthumously in 1532, advises rulers that they may need to engage in evil when political necessity demands it, a break from classical political thought. This treatise has long been controversial, with many viewing it as a manual for tyrants, and scholars such as Leo Strauss have called him a "teacher of evil." Machiavelli served as a senior official in the Florentine Republic from 1498 to 1512, working as secretary to the second chancery and handling diplomatic and military affairs. When the Medici returned to power in 1512, he was expelled from his post, mistakenly suspected of treason, and sent into exile. The following year, he turned to political writing. His *Discourses on Livy* (composed c. 1517) is noted for paving the way for modern republicanism. His ideas influenced later Enlightenment thinkers including Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James Harrington. After his death, his name became synonymous with unscrupulous political acts. Born in Florence on 3 May 1469 to attorney Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli and Bartolomea di Stefano Nelli, he was raised during a turbulent era, witnessing the aftermath of the Pazzi conspiracy and the sermons of Girolamo Savonarola. He studied grammar, rhetoric, and Latin under Paolo da Ronciglione. His father, born illegitimately, could not become a full citizen, which affected Niccolò’s own citizenship rights.

Reader's Guide

Machiavelli’s behavior and career were defined by his long service as a senior official in the Florentine Republic, where he handled diplomatic and military affairs as secretary to the second chancery from 1498 until 1512, a period when the Medici family was out of power. His political life ended abruptly when the Medici retook Florence; he was expelled from his diplomatic post, mistakenly suspected of treason, and sent into exile. A year later, he turned to writing political philosophy. Ecologically, his ideas emerged from the turbulent Renaissance context he witnessed firsthand, including the Pazzi conspiracy and the sermons of Girolamo Savonarola. His significance lies in his foundational role in modern political philosophy and political science. *The Prince* controversially advised rulers to adopt unsavory policies and commit evil when political necessity demands it, contradicting classical thought and earning him a reputation as a “teacher of evil” among later scholars like Leo Strauss. Yet his *Discourses on Livy* is credited with paving the way for modern republicanism, influencing Enlightenment thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James Harrington. Within his field, Machiavelli’s works remain central to debates about power, ethics, and governance, with scholars still arguing over whether he was a cynical advisor to tyrants or a realist republican theorist.

Did You Know?

• Machiavelli sought to describe political life as it really was, understanding it rationally.
• His work *The Prince* advised rulers to engage in evil when political necessity requires it.
• The *Discourses on Livy* (composed c. 1517) has been said to have paved the way for modern republicanism.
• His works influenced later Enlightenment-era authors such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James Harrington.
• Scholars continue to debate the nature of Machiavelli's ideas.