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The Italian diplomat and political philosopher, Niccolo Macchiavelli, has, thanks to his book “The Prince” gained negative fame as a man who supports totalitarism, deceit  and the acquisition of power at all costs. In fact, machiavellian, stands for everything, that is bad in rulers and politics.

This however, was never his intention. He was born in 1469 in Florence as the son of a lawyer who submitted his son to a strict and intensive upbringing and education. His time was one of political upheaval and constantly changing alliances. Machiavelli wanted to serve the new Florentine Republic, because he was an ardent patriot and hoped that Florence would be strong enough to unify Italy.  He entered service as a clerk, but soon advance to ambassador, entrusted with important political negotiations and missions. When the Medici were ousted and the Borgias, particulalrly Cesare Borgia, came to power, he wrote “The Prince”, modelled on Cesare, in the hope of garnering favours and positions to be able to pursue his patriotic goals. The treatise however backfired. Cesare didn’t like what he read and Machiavelli’s reputation was blackened forever afterwards. His true political views and his genius are revealed in his other important book: “Discourses of Levy”, which was only published after his death. His anti Medici attitude led even to his arrest and torture for conspiracy, but he was eventually released. Disappointed, he retired from politics to his country seat until his death in 1527.