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In 1512, the Spanish invaded Italy putting the Medici, an Italian political dynasty who were exiled in 1494, back in power. They replaced the republican government with their own autocratic regime. Machiavelli was fired, put in jail and tortured for his republican sentiments(views) and then finally banished to his country residence in Percussina. He gained favor with the Medici by writing his book "The Prince", an autocratic ruling guide and was named the official historian of Florence in 1520. In 1527, the Medici were overthrown and the new government was suspicious of his ties with the Medici. Machiavelli became ill and died in Florence in June 21, 1527.
Niccolo Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy. He was born to a middle class family who held many local government positions. In 1498, he helped overthrow Girolamo Savonarola, the then head religious and political figure in Florence. As chancellor and secretary to the Ten of Liberty and Peace, a government agency dealing primarily with warfare and foreign affairs, Machiavelli participated in both domestic politics and in diplomatic missions to foreign governments. This opportunity to study government helped him meet powerful people and gain political influence. By 1502, he was a well respected assistant to the head of state, Piero Soderini.
Bibliography http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/machiavelli.html http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/macv.htm
He is often called the father of modern political theory. He is one of the most controversial figures of political history and one of the most demonized and misunderstood thinker. He wrote his most famous book, "The Prince" to get a job in the Medici government. "The Prince" is a practical guide to ruling with an autocratic government written specifically for Lorenzo de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence. In "The Prince" he describes the means by which individuals have tried to seize and to maintain power and floods the book with their failures, he also stressing the importance of calculations in politics. He was the first to discuss politics and social phenomena without referring to ethics. In many ways Machiavelli is the first major Western thinker to apply the scientific method of Aristotle and Averroes to politics. He did this by observing the phenomena of politics, extensive reading on the subject, and describing political systems in their own terms. For Machiavelli, politics was about one thing: getting and keeping power or authority. Everything else has nothing to do with this fundamental aspect of politics—unless being moral helps one get and keep power. The only skill that counts in getting and maintaining power is calculation because a successful politician knows what to do or what to say for every situation.
Niccolo Machiavelli
https://libwebspace.library.cmu.edu:4430/posner/sp09/subcontents/images/machiavelli.jpg
Historical Significance
Biography
By: Beilul Naizghi
