Poli 212 History of Western Political Philosophy Professor Sammy Basu

Introduction to Machiavelli and The Prince and the Discourses

Political Context	Machiavelli’s Life
1434-94 Medici oligarchy - an oligarchical family - patrons of the arts -Godfathers of the Renaissance	b. May 3, 1469 1469-1498 - few details are known - his father was a lawyer but poor and also illegitimate hence family had no real standing, and Mach could not be active politically in Fl as a citizen - decently educated
1494 - Milan invited the French to invade Italy as his allies; they did so 1494-1498 Florentine republic, - Great Council in which 3000 citizens participate, amounting to 20% of male pop
1498 Rule of Girolamo Savonarola - aberrant regime - theological leader presiding over a democratic regime, - Dominican friar and prophet and considered the forerunner of the Reformation - charged with heresy - executed and followers, ‘the weepers,’ removed	Execution of Savonarola on the Piazza della Signoria, 1498
1498-1512 Florentine republic Florentine Republic in the Town Hall, 'Il Palazzo Vecchio',	1498-9 - Mach served various governmental agencies such as : - second chancellor of the Rep - sect to the Ten of War (Dieci di Balia; essentially the foreign policy-making body) - the Nine of the Militia (Nove di Milizia; which organized local defense forces). 1499-1507 - He went as diplomat or emissary of Florence to Iacopo d'Appiano, Lord of Piombino, Caterina Sforza of Forli (1499), to the royal French court (4 times between 1500-1504), to Cesare Borgia (1502 and 1503), and to the Holy Roman Empire in Austria (1507). 1505-6 - Afterward Machiavelli spent much time and energy in building a Florentine militia to lessen Florence's reliance on mercenary troops. - Among the military projects attempted was the diverting of the River Arno in order to cut off Pisa from the sea; failed - too costly - a project in which he collaborated with artist/engineer Leonardo da Vinci - subsequent success in bringing Pisa under Florentine control - But the militia proved ineffective in 1512 when confronted by the Papal imperial army.
1512-27 the Medici, and their second ouster	1513, 12 Feb - The Medici returned and Machiavelli was arrested on suspicion of conspiring against the Medici family. - he is imprisoned - name on list of two arrested acquaintances conspirators - he is tortured - judicial torture to extract confession - the strappado - 6 not 4 drops, excruciating (‘too high, too high’ victims would cry) - other two confess and are executed - does not confess (believed to be involved so held in suspicion) but is fined etc - he is eventually (12 March) released. He found himself unemployed, confined to Florence or vicinity. He retires to his small family estate near San Casciano. 6 miles from medieval walled city of Florence (70,000 pop), it is the sticks.

Machiavelli's "Albergaccio,"

See Letter to Vettori 10 Dec 1513

	Works - 1512 - The Prince (Il Principe) (1513); published for first time in 1532. - last chapter added in 1515 1515-19 - Discourses on the first ten books of Titus Livius (Discorsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio) - began before The Prince but finished afterwards. 1519-20 - The Art of War (1519-20) - the only work published in M's lifetime; in a sense, what he thought to be the most important political writing; 1520-27 - History of Florence (1520-27) - Medici commission with criticism of M put in mouths of enemy characters; call to arms, historical account of Italian corruption;
1527 on Florentine republic	1526 - His attempts at reconciliation with the Medici, eventually got him a post (1526), but prevented his being accepted by the new republican regime in 1527, and Machiavelli died soon after that new disappointment.