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Essay on Machiavelli, Niccoló
Machiavelli, Niccolò was an Italian historian, statesman, and opinionated theorist, who are amoral, however significant writings on statecraft have turned his name into a synonym for wiliness and dishonesty. Born in Florence on May 3, 1469, Machiavelli entered government service as a clerk and rose to fame when the Florentine Republic was proclaimed in 1498. He was escritoire of the ten-man commission that conducted the ambassadorial negotiations and supervised the armed operations of the state, and his duties included missions to the French king (1504, 1510-11), the Holy See (1506), and the German emperor (1507-8). In the course of his diplomatic missions within Italy he became acquainted with many of the Italian rulers and was able to study their political tactics, mainly those of the ecclesiastic and soldier Cesare Borgia, who was at that time engaged in enlarging his holdings in central Italy.
From 1503 to 1506 Machiavelli reorganized the military defense of the republic of Florence. Even though mercenary armies were common during this period, he preferred to rely on the conscription of native troops to guarantee an eternal and nationalistic resistance of the commonwealth. In 1512, when the Medici, a Florentine family, regained control in Florence and the state was dissolved, he was dispossessed of office and for a short time caged for suspected plot against them. After his release he retired to his estate near Florence, where he wrote his most significant works. In spite of his attempts to gain favor with the Medici rulers, he was never restored to his prominent government position. When the republic was temporarily reinstated in 1527, many republicans of pro-Medici leanings suspected him. He died in Florence on June 21 of that year. (Glosserman, Brad)
All through his career Machiavelli wanted to institute a state skilled of resisting overseas molest....
