Machiavelli, Niccolo (1469-1527)

Writer and political philosopher Machiavelli was one of the greatest minds of the Italian Renaissance. A powerful, often misinterpreted writer, his reflections on human behavior made him one of the pioneers of the philosophy of history and politics. Machiavelli began his career as a government official, and his diplomatic missions enabled him to study political tactics. In 1512 the Medici seized power in Florence and Machiavelli, suspected of conspiring against the new rulers, was imprisoned, tortured, and exiled. He turned to writing and his dream of a remedy for the ills of Italy resulted in "The Prince," in which he outlined the means, fair and foul, of successful rule, based on the premise that means justify ends. When the Medici were overthrown in 1527 the new regime saw him as a traitor and did not return him to office. He died a month later, a broken man. Machiavelli's undeserved reputation for amoral cunning arose during the fervor of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. His contribution to political science is now recognized, and his satire "The Mandrake" is considered a masterpiece of drama.