The Ruler

• Niccolò Machiavelli (1469.3.5. — 1527.22.6.) was an Italian public figure, political thinker, writer, historian, military theorist
• Machiavelli was the secretary of the Council of Ten for 14 years in the Florentine Republic and performed important diplomatic duties
• When the Medici family regained power after a political coup, Machiavelli was dismissed on suspicion of conspiracy and exiled to his estate near Florence
• Contrary to his theological views, Machiavelli approached the issue of the state from a secular point of view; tried to explain the laws of social development based on historical data and real facts
• Republic


  The best form of government, as it is the most appropriate form and makes every citizen responsible for the state's destiny
• Machiavelli advocated the establishment of a single ruler in Italy, as only a strong ruler can create a single independent Italian state united nationally
• Machiavelli in his famous work "State Refuge" describes the methods of building a strong state in the conditions where the civil qualities of the people are not matured
• Machiavellianism


  A policy that does not consider the laws of morality, where treason, treachery and the use of force can be used to achieve political goals and strengthen the state
• Machiavelli's main works: "Reflections on the first decade of Titus Livius" (1513), "State Refuge" (1513), "History of Florence" (1520-1525), "On Military Art" (1520)
• Machiavelli is sending his writings as a gift to Lorenzo de' Medici, as he feels they are the most valuable thing he possesses
• Machiavelli wanted his work to remain anonymous, to be recognized only because of the unusual and important subject matter
• Machiavelli hopes that Lorenzo de' Medici will look at his modest gift with understanding, and that he will feel how much Machiavelli sincerely wants him to achieve the great positions that his destiny and qualities predict for him
• Types of states


  • Republics
  • Autocracies
• Types of autocracies


  • Inherited
  • New
• A state can be completely new, or a part of it may be new, conquered and annexed to the inherited state
• States are won either by one's own or someone else's weapon, or by the grace of fate, or by glory
• Hereditary monarchy


  It is much easier for the successor king, whose subjects are accustomed to the ruling dynasty, to hold power in his hands than for the new king
• The Duke of Ferrara did not fall from the throne even after defeats, because his descendants had long been rulers in Ferrara
• Mixed countries


  It is difficult for the new king to hold power in a country that has been added to the inherited state, as the kingdom will become a mixed state
• People easily rise up against the new king, believing that he will be better, but they soon realize that they have been deceived, as the new king always turns out to be worse than the old one
• King Louis XII of France lost Milan as quickly as he had captured it, because the people who opened the gates of the city to the king soon realized that they had been cheated, and refused to tolerate the tyranny of the new king
• If a rebellious country is repeatedly conquered, it will be easier for the king to establish power there, as the rebellion will give him a good reason to punish the guilty, accuse the suspects, and take protective measures
• France was able to hold Milan for a long time, until all the states of Italy were in arms, crushed its troops and drove them from the borders of Italy
• If the language, customs and rules of the conquered country are different from the inherited country, it will be extremely difficult to hold power, and both great luck and great art are required
• Establishing power in a conquered country

  • Moving to that country for permanent residence
  • Establishing colonies in one or two places that connect the new lands with the conqueror's state
  • Deploying large numbers of cavalry and infantry in the new country
• The king should become the leader and protector of the weaker neighbors, try to weaken the stronger neighbors, and prevent a foreign ruler who is not inferior to him in terms of power from entering the country
• The Romans followed these rules when they conquered a country: they established colonies, patronized the weak, subjugated the strong, and prevented the influence of powerful foreign rulers from entering the country
• Usually, when a powerful ruler invades a country, the weaker countries - usually out of envy of the stronger ones - join him, so the ruler does not need to bother to sway them, because they themselves join the state he built
• However, they should not be allowed to expand and gain strength. Then it will not be difficult to subjugate bigger rulers with your own strength and with their help and become a full ruler in that country
• If the ruler does not take these measures, he will soon lose his acquired lands, but before then he will face many difficulties and calamities
• When the Romans conquered a country, they followed all the rules mentioned above: they established colonies, patronized the weak, but did not allow them to gather power; subjugate the strong; at the same time, they prevented the influence of powerful foreign rulers from entering the country
• The Romans conquered the Achaeans and Aetolians; Macedonian kingdom was exhausted; they expelled Antiochus from there. However, despite all the services of the Achaeans and Aetolians, they did not allow them to expand their lands, they did not fly to Philip's flattery, they did not make an alliance with him until they broke his power, they did not give in to the pressure of Antiochus, who was eyeing the lands in Greece
• The Romans behaved as a truly wise ruler should behave, that is, they thought not only of today, but also of tomorrow; they tried their best to prevent possible disasters, which is not a difficult task if necessary measures are taken in time; but if you wait until disaster strikes, no measures will help, because the disease will have turned into an incurable pain
• Sweating sickness


  It is difficult to detect this pain at the beginning, but it is easy to treat. However, if missed, it is easy to detect but difficult to treat
• It is the same in state affairs: if the disease that is beginning is detected in time (which only wise rulers can do), it is not difficult to get rid of it. But when it gets too deep for everyone to see, no medicine will help him anymore
• If the Romans sensed a disaster in advance, they took measures immediately, they did not stand idly by because they were afraid that war would break out, because they knew that it was impossible to prevent the war, and that it could only be delayed a little - in favor of the enemy
• Therefore, in order not to have to fight Philip and Antiochus in Italy, they decided to make war against them in Greek territory
• The Romans did not like the proverb "Trust in good fortune", which is not heard from the mouths of modern sages, they considered only their courage and foresight to be good fortune
• Procrastination can have the desired effect, because time brings both good and bad
• King Louis entered Italy courtesy of the Venetians. They wanted to expand their lands and demanded half of Lombardy for their help