Niccolo Machiavelli & The Prince
Machiavelli’s Life ( ) Early life ( ) Old Florentine family Humanist education Rise in Florentine politics ( ) Helped depose Savonarola (1498) Secretary of gov’t. agency on warfare & foreign affairs ( ) Assistant to head of Florentine Rep., Piero Soderini ( ) Medici depose Soderini & Machiavelli accused of involvement with plot to overthrow Medici (1512)
Machiavelli’s Life continued… Banishment/absence from politics ( ) Discourses – on republics The Prince – on principalities Return to politics/final years ( ) Official historian of Florence + minor gov’t. jobs Ousted again – this time for ties to Medici dies from illness
The Prince principality vs. republic practical guide vs. idealism (More’s Utopia) purpose: how a prince is to gain & maintain power Lorenzo di Piero de Medici ( ) - Duke of Urbino - Leader of Florence ( )
Themes in The Prince 1. human nature 2. the art of war 3. the ends justify the means / abandonment of Christian morality (amoral politics) 4. goodwill vs. hatred 5. traits of a prince: virtues vs. vices 6. virtú (personal prowess) vs. fortune (chance) – what role does each play in how a prince comes to power (free will?)