Machiavelli, in his “History of Florence,” gives us a picture of the young men among whom his youth was passed. Whereas the magnificence of the Medicean rule during the life of Lorenzo appeared to have impressed Machiavelli strongly, for he frequently recurs to it in his writings, and it is to Lorenzo’s grandson that he dedicates “The Prince.” Savonarola’s influence upon the young Machiavelli must have been slight, for although at one time he wielded immense power over the fortunes of Florence, he only furnished Machiavelli with a subject of a gibe in “The Prince,” where he is cited as an example of an unarmed prophet who came to a bad end.

Florence has been described as a city with two opposite currents of life, one directed by the fervent and austere Savonarola, the other by the splendour- loving Lorenzo. This was the period of Machiavelli’s literary activity and increasing influence but he died, within a few weeks of the expulsion of the Medici, on 22nd June 1527, in his fifty-eighth year, without having regained office.Īlthough there is little recorded of the youth of Machiavelli, the Florence of those days is so well known that the early environment of this representative citizen may be easily imagined.

The Medici again ruled Florence from 1512 until 1527, when they were once more driven out. During his official career Florence was free under the government of a Republic, which lasted until 1512, when the Medici returned to power, and Machiavelli lost his office. The downfall of the Medici in Florence occurred in 1494, in which year Machiavelli entered the public service. His youth was concurrent with the greatness of Florence as an Italian power under the guidance of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Il Magnifico. His life falls naturally into three periods, each of which singularly enough constitutes a distinct and important era in the history of Florence. Both parents were members of the old Florentine nobility. He was the second son of Bernardo di Nicolo Machiavelli, a lawyer of some repute, and of Bartolommea di Stefano Nelli, his wife. Nicolo Machiavelli was born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. Imprisoned in Florence, 1512 later exiled and returned to San Casciano. From 1494 to 1512 held an official post at Florence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts. Nicolo Machiavelli, born at Florence on 3rd May 1469.

The prince by niccolò machiavelli