Niccolo Machiavelli & il principe

A good prince must know how

to do wrong, not simply to do wrong, but to avoid wrong

He who becomes master of a city accustomed

to freedom and does not destroy it will be destroyed by it

Depending on another causes the prince's power to become...

unstable.

Mercenaries/auxiliaries are

useless and dangerous

In France, in Machiavelli's time, power__________________.

was shared between the prince and the barons

A wise prince chooses men

who will be honest with what he asks about

the lion and the fox.

work together

whether or not a prince can support himself or if he relies on others

A prince with a strong city and good reputation will not be attacked so often

Chapter 14 | Military Matters

A ruler should be focused on war. One of his main priorities should be the art of war. Study the land by going hunting.

According to Machiavelli, how did the Spartans hold onto Athens and Thebes (though in the end they lost both cities)?

By creating oligarchies (a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution.)

How should a prince be judged?

By his servants or secretaries.

How should a prince take over a state?

By letting them keep their customs (like the Roman Empire did) OR going to live in the new area and learn their cultures.

When was Giovanni dalla Bande Nere alive?

1498 to 1526

What year did Machiavelli marry?

1502

When was Alessandro de' Medici alive?

1510 to 1537

Love and Fear

It is better to be both feared and loved, but it is better to be feared if loved is not an option.

What happened in 1503 when Cesare Borgia's father died?

Ousted & imprisoned when his father died (1503)

Most desirable trait in a prince?

Parsimony: extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources.

Why was Machiavelli disappointed in Piero Soderini?

his irresolute actions in the crisis

If a prince has to choose between being liked or being feared, which should he choose?

Being feared. It will allow you to keep power.

What course of action that a prince SHOULD NOT take in order to hold states accustomed to living freely under their own laws?

Bribe government people

What is one way ANY prince risks losing power?

By becoming hated.

What is not a means of winning honor and prestige?

Declaring neutrality in a conflict

What does Machiavelli say of the feelings of those in colonies?

"He only offends those whose houses and land he takes, and because they are poor they are not threat and can be silenced."

What are 6 characteristics of a successful prince?

(1) Imitate Great Men, (2) Depend on Own Arms, (3) Be liked by having good laws, (4) Be a good archer and aim high, (5) Control Territories that are in reach, (6) When opportunity knocks, take it!

Three ways to keep cities under old laws:

(1)Ruin them, (2) Live there, (3) Let them live with their laws, draw a tribute, create an oligarchy

Valentino used four ways to secure himself against the future:

(A). Eliminating families of the lords he had stolen from, (B) Became friend with all the men of Rome so they would support him against the pope, (C) Convert the college(politics) towards himself, (D) Acquiring power so that he could stay standing after the death of the pope

When was Julius II alive?

1443 to 1513

When was Piero Soderini alive?

1450 to 1522

When was Ferdinand of Aragon alive?

1452 to 1516

When did Niccolo Machiavelli's cousin die?

1460

When was Louis XII alive?

1462 to 1515

When was Machiavelli born?

1469

What years was Charles VIII alive?

1470 to 1498

What years was Cesare Borgia alive?

1475 to 1507

When was Thomas Cromwell alive?

1485 to 1540

What year did Lorenzo the Magnificent die?

1492

What year was Columbus?

1492

When was Cesare Borgia made a Cardinal?

1492

When was the Treaty of Etaples?

1492

Which year was very important?

1492

When was Lorenzo (II) de' Medici alive?

1492 to 1519

What year did the French first invade?

1494

When was Machiavelli elected Second Chancellor of the Florentine Republic?

1498

When did Machiavelli write The Prince?

1513

When was Catherine de' Medici alive?

1519 to 1589

When was Art of War published?

1521

When was Italy eventually unified?

1866

How many states did Renaissance Italy have?

250 states

To what animal does Machiavelli compare a prince who breaks his word to play one foreign power off another?

A fox

How do the lion and fox represent a prince?

A lion because he must evoke fear into his enemies. A fox because he must have the superior mental ability to detect traps and good or bad decisions.

What is true about a Prince who is not using Virtu?

A prince cannot maintain his state without a degree of skill and when the actions of a prince are marked by it he may easily "capture" the attention of his soldiers and citizens. If met with bad fortune or the wrong set of circumstances, a prince may lose his state

Generosity

A prince should be careful to control generosity, if he gives any at all. A prince should be selfish to protect his power.

Cruelty

A prince should be cruel ONCE to prevent uprisings, but not constantly or people will hate him.

What kind of state is harder to take over?

A state run by ministers

What kind of state is easier to take over?

A state run by nobles

Through what two means does one become a prince?

Ability(Virtu) OR fortune(Fortuna)

What quality in a prince will cause the populace to despise him?

Acting effeminate or having female traits

When must a prince do when doing wrong to ensure he does not lose his power?

Always be able to avoid the blame of his wrongdoings.

How was Soderino deposed in 1512?

An alliance of Pope Julius II, the Spanish, and the Medici

Why is it easy for a prince to hold on to a hereditary state?

Because their family have already ruled and the people have grown accustomed to being ruled by them.

Why are ecclesiastical principalities so secure?

Because they are ruled by religion.

Who was an early Machiavellian in France?

Catherine de' Medici, Queen of France

"Looking over all the duke's actions, then, I find nothing with which to reproach him." Who is Machiavelli referring to?

Cesare Borgia

A ruler who triumphed on the strength of their own powers (Virtu)?

Cesare Borgia

Who was Machiavelli's hero?

Cesare Borgia

Whose army did Machiavelli accompany from 1502 to 1503?

Cesare Borgia

Course of action that should not be taken by a prince of a new principality?

Changing laws and taxes

Which French king invaded in 1494?

Charles VIII, the affable

Attaining power through the people can rely on two groups. What are they?

Citizens and Nobles

What was the culture like in Renaissance Italy?

Classical age endured past the middle ages and it was a cultured area

Who was a Medici Pope alive from 1478 to 1534?

Clement VII, Giulio de' Medici

'Why the Successors of Alexander After His Death Did Not Lose the Kingdom He Had Conquered From ______"

Darius

How should a prince control a state that is used to freedom?

Destroy them and make them forget any freedoms they used to have.

What should a prince do if the states is accustomed to living freely under their own laws

Devastate them, then conqueror to occupy them and allow the state to maintain its own laws, but to charge taxes and establish an oligarchy to keep the state friendly

What happened in 1512 to Machiavelli when the Medici returned to power?

Dismissed from his positions and imprisoned & tortured

Chapter 19 | How to avoid contempt and hatred

Do not be greedy, fickle, frivolous, effeminate, cowardly, or irresolute. Do not take the women away from the men, and do not take away your subjects' property.

What will make a prince extraordinary?

Doing amazing things, like discovering a new world or taking on profitable projects.

who took advantage of weak masters in Romagna

Duke Valentino

Who was Alessandro de' Medici?

Duke of Florence

What did Machiavelli do when out of politics?

Farmed and wrote the Discourses and the Art of War

Who was the Spanish king who invaded in 1499?

Ferdinand of Aragon, "The Catholic"

What was the largest city in Italy?

Florence

What was Soderino and Machiavelli both proponents of?

Florentine militia

According to Machiavelli, what is fortune(Fortuna)?

Fortuna is like a woman, it's changing frequently, but she responds better to a ruler's strength than to cautiousness

What does Fortuna mean in Italian?

Fortune, luck, but also the capricious goddess

Who was Piero Soderini allied with?

France

Who of the following became duke of Milan?

Franceso Sforza

When conquering a state what should you do?

Gain favor of the people your conquering

Who was a potential Prince?

Giovanni dalla Bande Nere

What does Machiavelli tell a prince to do if he acquires a land different from his own?

Go and live there to learn the culture.

With which of the following statements would Machiavelli not agree?

Good armies stem from good laws.

What are the principle foundations for all states?

Good laws and Good arms

What is Machiavelli's belief of good arms and good laws?

Good laws stem from having good arms!

In 1492, which area did Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain conquer?

Granada

What was Niccolo Machiaveli not educated in?

Greek

How did Machiavelli affect two Medici Popes?

He advised them but his advice was not taken

What did Machiavelli call for in the Prince?

He called for the unification of Italy

Did Machiavelli have children?

He had 6 kids plus others who died young

What does Machiavelli feel Cesare should have done regarding the papacy?

He should have tried to make a Spaniard or a Rouen figure the Pope

What kind of politician was his cousin Girolamo?

He was a populist

How did Cesare Borgia die in 1507?

He was killed in battle

Why was Machiavelli sent to Rome, France, Germany, etc?

He was sent on many diplomatic missions

What did Machiavelli do in the 1520's?

He wrote three successful comedies

Types of principalities

Hereditary (bloodline),Mixed (annexed),New,Ecclesiastical (religious).

Arming his subjects will cause what?

His people to trust him and know he trusts them.

Chapter 18 | In what way princes should keep their word

Honesty is important but sometimes a crafty ruler can achieve more.

Under what conditions are fortresses most valuable?

If they prevent citizens from hating the prince

In what case would the people be a good foundation?

If you're a good person

How did Piero Soderini die?

In exile

What kind of logic did Machiavelli use in The Prince?

Inductive logic

What is Machiavelli's approach to the use of cruelty?

Inflict all the cruelty at once, then never again.

Why is living there solve the problems of a different culture?

Issues are solved faster, you're there to make sure officials aren't pillaging, The people will appreciate the prince more, another way is to make colonies, there should not be a lot spent on the colonies

Chapter 17 | Concerning cruelty and whether it is better to be loved than to be feared or the reverse

It is best to be considered kind rather than cruel by others. Fear, love, hatred is the order a leader should want from his people.

What does Machiavelli say about helping others gain power?

It makes a prince ruin himself.

Chapter 22 | Concerning the prince's minister

Judge a candidate for prime minister by his capability and loyalty, for that means he is wise.

Who was Pope after Rodrigo Borgia (Alexander VI)?

Julius II, Guiliano della Rovere (il Papa terribile)

When taking over a new land similar in culture and language, what two things must a prince always do?

Kill the current ruling family and not alter any current laws.

Which king "took Milan quickly and lost it just as quickly"?

King Louis XII

It is easier to him a principality of the same

Language/country

What was Niccolo Machiaveli educated in?

Latin and rhetoric

What did Cesare Borgia do to try to conquer the Romagna?

Led French & Papal forces to conquer the Romagna

Who was Pope after Guiliano della Rovere (il Papa terribile)?

Leo X, Giovanni de' Medici

What should a prince do if he gains a principality whose people have arms?

Let them keep their arms.

What does the grass is always greener on the other side mean?

People always think another ruler will be better than their current. In reality, it is usually worse.

A prince, w/lords is another way to govern that is weak because

Lords are not close to prince as they are lords because of their inheritance, not their relation to prince.They are easy ways into the principality. Example: king of France

Who is the main audience of The Prince?

Lorenzo II, the "prince" of the Medici

Who was the French king who invaded in 1499?

Louis XII, "Father of the People"

Why was The Prince written?

Machiavelli wrote The Prince in an effort both to gain the favor of the ruling Medici family (which had accused Machiavelli of conspiracy) and to help enable Lorenzo de Medici to unify Italy.

Who did Machiavelli marry?

Marietta Corsini

Which family dominated Florence?

Medici

What kind of economic practice was used in Renaissance Italy?

Mercantile

Types of armies

Mercenaries (unreliable hired soldiers), Auxiliaries (loaned by other rulers), Native troops (own people, the best kind), Mixed troops (combination of other types)

Who were some contemporaries of Machiavelli's time?

Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandor Botticelli

What is Machiavelli's historical assessment of Italy's past princes?

Mostly bad ruling combined with a little bad luck

Who does Machiavelli not cite as an example?

Napoleon

Should a prince be generous? Why or why not?

No, a prince should not be generous. If he is, the people will come to expect his generosity.

Should a prince ever remain neutral? Why?

No. It will cause both sides to distrust him.

What were the defenses in Renaissance Italy like?

Not military, mercenary soldiers were often hired

What is the one thing the common people ask for from a prince?

Not to be oppressed.

Chapter 16 | Concerning Liberality and Parsimony

One must be generous, however, not too generous.

What did Machiavelli do from 1503 to 1512?

Organized & supervised Florentine militia

Ottoman Empire vs France

Ottoman empire has one sultan, no nobility, and many peasants. France has one king, many nobles, and many peasants. French kings were easy to defeat because nobility could turn on him.

Who was Florence's Gonfaloniere for life in 1502?

Piero Soderini

Who was Machiavelli's boss?

Piero Soderini

Best way to go against conspiracies?

Popular support because then they can get rid of the group of people who go against the prince.

Why was his attorney father Bernardo barred from politics?

Possibly bogus debts

What is a Gonfaloniere?

President

What two set-ups does a principality have?

Prince and Barons OR Prince and Servants

Who was Agathocles?

Prince of Syracuse

How should cruelty be used?

Quickly and efficiently

A prince uses what to punish delinquents, remove suspects, strengthen weaknesses

Rebellion

Neutrality

Remaining neutral is bad because neither side will trust the prince.

Where was the headquarters of the Church?

Renaissance Italy

What kind of political structure did Renaissance Italy have?

Renaissance Italy was politically fragmented

What kind of government did Florence officially have?

Republic

What two types of government does Machiavelli recognize?

Republics and Principalities

The form of government Machiavelli preferred over all others

Republics, like Rome

What did Cesare Borgia do in 1498?

Resigned his post as a Cardinal to become Captain General of the Church

Who was Cesare Borgia's father?

Rodrigo Borgia (Alexander VI)

Who was elected Pope in 1492?

Rodrigo Borgia (Alexander VI)

According to Machiavelli, what is a valid statement about hereditary states?

They are easy to maintain because it's been going on for a long time.

A prince, w/servants is one way to govern that is the best because

Servants are close to prince and they are in his favor, Example: Turk

Was Machiavelli involved in politics from 1513 and later after the Medici later?

Spent years out of politics

Chapter 15 | Concerning things for which men and princes especially, are praised or censured

Stick to the truth rather than personal wishes. A ruler has to have vices and virtues. He must have both, not one or the other.

What must be a prince's exercise for mind?

Study from great leaders and mimic them.

What was Machiavelli's official career?

Supervised copyists producing official Florentine govt. documents

What actions cause a prince to become hated?

Taking property from his people (being rapacious).

What must be a prince's only study?

The Art of War

Who invaded in 1499?

The French and Spanish

Which of the following was a faction in the Romagna territory?

The Orsini family

What is the mark of the best kind of intellect?

The ability to understand things for themselves

What is foremost among Machiavelli's pleas to Lorenzo de' Medici?

The need to rebuild Italy's military strength because everything's about war

Why had a number of Italian princes of Machiavelli's time recently lost their states?

Their own military faults

Chapter 23 | How to avoid flatterers

There is no way of avoiding flattery but to make sure others know it's okay to tell the truth

What arguments does Machiavelli make about the nature of men?

They are deceitful or dishonest (trust no one)

What is not true about auxiliary troops?

They are just as dangerous as mercenaries.

What does Machiavelli say about mercenaries and auxiliary troops?

They are not loyal to him. If they lose, the prince is left powerless. If they win, he owes another country for his victory.

What is a common defect in all men?

They become lazy in times of calmness.

What is is not true about ecclesiastical principalities?

They can be ruled by a prince. This is because a prince is not considered 'holy'

How did the Romans hold onto Capua, Carthage, and Numantia?

They destroyed them

What does Machiavelli say about the nobles?

They think of themselves as equal to the prince. Therefore, they are dangerous.

Who was an early Machiavellian in England?

Thomas Cromwell chief minister to Henry VIII of England

Which of the following is the best means of becoming a prince?

Through prowess(virtu) or skill or expertise in a particular activity or field (winning of a battle).

Chapter 21 | What a prince must do to be esteemed

To embark on great enterprises and give rare proofs of his ability.

Chapter 20 | Whether fortresses and many other expedients that princes commonly employ are useful or not

To keep his land secure, a prince must disarm their nonlocal subjects (areas recently taken over) .

Who did Florence rule?

Tuscany

What are the ways of intellect?

Understanding things for themselves, the other appreciates what others can understand, and understands neither for itself nor through others

What kind of family was Machiavelli born into?

Upper-middle class

People change ruler because they

Want better conditions, and they will create an uprising against ruler

What was the financial status in Renaissance Italy?

Wealthy

What did Machiavelli do in 1527?

When Medici were (temporarily) ousted, he applied to get his old job back but was rejected, and died a month later

In what case would the people be a bad foundation?

When you're a jerk

From 1520 to 1525, what did the Medici commissioned him to do?

Write History of Florence

Did Renaissance Italy have republics?

Yes, it was a republican states in some spots

a good leader shouldn't be

afraid of being "mean"

Against whom might a prince be justified in using inhumane cruelty?

against troops

fortune controls one half of our action

but we direct the other half

a prince should be considered

clement, not cruel

It is important to be

crafty and deceptive

important for a prince of a new state to be

cruel

He believes that good name and repute is

everything

lion

fends off wolves

fox

finds the snares the lion cannot

A prince must lay

foundations

Most important foundations of a good state are

good laws and good arms.

a prince should avoid being

hated

is it better to be loved than feared or feared than loved?

it would be ideal to combine both, it is safest to be feared than loved

Which of the following types of troops should a prince depend on?

native troops

Friendships earned by payments and not greatness are

never secure

"But it is the ______ that makes troubles."

new state

He who relies least on fortune(Fortuna) is

strongest. He relies on his brain

The first opinion formed of a prince

the men he surrounds himself with

A government can't survive without

the support of its people

People who become princes only because of good fortune easily rise, but

they struggle to stay in power