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History Of Florence And The Affairs Of Italy
History Of Florence And The Affairs Of Italy Author:Niccolo Machiavelli The first great Italian historian, and one of the most eminent political writers of any age or country, was born at Florence, May 3, 1469. He was of an old though not wealthy Tuscan family, his father, who was a jurist, dying when Niccolo was sixtecn years old. We know nothing of Machiavellis youth and Iittle about his studies. He does not seem ... more »to have received the usual humanistic education of his time, as he knew no Greek. The first notice of Machiavelli is in 1498 when we find him holding the office of Secretary in the second Chancery of the Signoria, which office he retained till the downfall of the Plorentine Republic in I512. His UDUSU ability was soon recognized, and in 1500 he was sent on a mission to Louis XII. of France, and afterward on an embassy to Cxsar Borgia, the lord of Romagna, at Urbino. Machiavellis report and description of this and subsequent embassies to this prince, shows his unclisguised admiration for the courage and cunning of Cxsar. who was a master in the application of the principles afterivard csposcd in such a skillful and urlcompromising manner by Jlachiavclli in his Prince. The limits of this introduction will not permit us to foIlow with any detail the many important duties with which he was charged by his native state.....« less