Niccolo Machiavelli
By; Danielle Arndt
The Father of modern political theory; Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
What was happening historically that could influence his opinion?
His political viewpoints
Machiavelli's ideas had a profound impact on political leaders throughout the modern west, helped by the new technology of the printing press. He believed that the well-being of the state is the responsibility of the ruler and should be achieved by any means possible, even by deceptions and treacheries.
Machiavelli was destined for a life of civil service, but became a victim of the times he lived in. This power-power bet against the Medici and paid for it for the rest of his life.
Machiavelli was responsible for the Florentine militia. Machiavelli was deprived of office in 1512 by the Medici. In 1513, the Medici accused him of conspiracy against the Medici family and had him imprisoned. Despite having been subjected to tortured, he denied involvement and was released after three weeks.
After suffering imprisonment and torture, he retired to his farm near San Casciano, where he lived with his wife and six children and gave his time to study and writing.
Resources
"Assess the Historical Significance of Machiavelli's Writing of 'The Prince" during the Renaissance Period - WriteWork." Assess the Historical Significance of Machiavelli's Writing of 'The Prince" during the Renaissance Period. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2014
"Quora." Why Was Machiavelli in Prison? -. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2014.
PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2014.