Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was born in Florence, Italy, a region run by the Medici family. He spent fourteen years as a diplomat for the republic, but his support of the creation of a militia under a new government caused him to be cast out by the Medicis. After his imprisonment, Machiavelli went into exile, where he wrote The Prince in 1513. The basis for the principles he championed in it were the result of his negotiations with the courts of France, Spain, and Italy as an envoy. He dedicated the book to the Medicis, to land a new position within their government, but it wasn’t until his poems and comedies found favor that he was permitted to return to public service.

The Prince was officially published in 1532, five years after Machiavelli’s death. Although his writings were later banned by the Roman Catholic Church, he was seen by many as a sharp observer of wielded power, strategy, and leadership. He continues to be recognized today as one of history’s most influential and devious political minds.