The Prince With the Art of War

The Prince (1532)Machiavelli's The Prince is a practical guide to tyrannical ruling (although some scholars argue the book is a satire). It is among the first works of modern political philosophy, describing a world in which the effective truth is taken to be more important than an abstract ideal. It is dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of Florence, and written in a simple style. Its main themes are: politics, war craft, and popular goodwill. The first chapter defines types of principalities and princes, providing an outline for the remainder of the work. Chapter III describes how to maintain composite principalities - either newly created or annexed from another. From Chapters IV-XIV, Machiavelli offers advice on routes to power, how to acquire and hold new states, how to deal with internal insurrection, alliances, and maintaining a strong military.