Philosopher · 1469 – 1527
Niccolò Machiavelli
Little-Known Facts
- He wrote The Prince after being tortured and exiled from Florentine politics, hoping to regain favor.
- His Discourses reveal him as a committed republican, complicating the cynical image of 'The Prince'.
Myths & Misconceptions
Did Machiavelli endorse evil?
Scholars debate this. The Prince describes how power is actually won and kept rather than how it should morally be used; his Discourses show genuine republican ideals.