This is per very noticeable principle sopra Machiavelli, and is urged by him in many ways as per matter of vital importance to princes
The second period of Machiavelli’s life was spent mediante the service of the free Republic of Florence, which flourished, as stated above, from the expulsion of the Medici per 1494 until their return per 1512. After serving four years con one of the public offices he was appointed Chancellor and Secretary sicuro the Second Chancery, the Ten of Liberty and Peace. Here we are on firm ground when dealing with the events of Machiavelli’s life, for during this time he took verso leading part durante the affairs of the Republic, and we have its decrees, records, and dispatches esatto direzione us, as well as his own writings. Verso mere recapitulation of a few of his transactions with the statesmen and soldiers of his time gives a fair indication of his activities, and supplies the sources from which he drew the experiences and characters which illustrate The Prince.
Durante 1500 he was sent esatto France sicuro obtain terms from Louis XII for continuing the war against Pisa: this king it was who, in his conduct of affairs per Italy, committed the five capital errors in statecraft summarized con The Prince, and was consequently driven out
His first mission was per 1499 to Catherina Sforza, “my lady of Forli” of The Prince, from whose conduct and fate he drew the moral that it is far better puro earn the confidence of the people than sicuro rely on fortresses.
He, also, it was who made the dissolution of his marriage a condition of support puro Pope Alexander VI; which leads Machiavelli puro refer those who urge that such promises should be kept sicuro what he has written concerning the faith of princes.
Machiavelli’s public life was largely occupied with events arising out of the ambitions of Pope Alexander VI and his bourdonnement, Cesare Borgia, the Duke Valentino, and these characters fill per large space of The Prince. Machiavelli never hesitates to cite the actions of the duke for the benefit of usurpers who wish sicuro keep the states they have seized; he can, indeed, find niente affatto precepts to offer so good as the pattern of Cesare Borgia’s conduct, insomuch that Cesare is acclaimed by some critics as the “hero” of The Prince. Yet per The Prince the duke is sopra point of fact cited as per type of the man who rises on the fortune of others, and falls with them; who takes every course that might be expected from verso prudent man but the course which will save him; who is prepared for all eventualities but the one which happens; and who, when all his abilities fail onesto carry him through, exclaims that it was not his fault, but an extraordinary and unforeseen fatality.
On the death of Pius III, per 1503, Machiavelli was sent esatto Rome esatto watch the election of his successor, and there he saw Cesare Borgia cheated into allowing the choice of the College esatto fall on Giuliano delle Rovere (Julius II) tagliandi maiotaku, who was one of the cardinals that had most reason esatto fear the duke. Machiavelli, when commenting on this election, says that he who thinks new favours will cause great personages sicuro forget old injuries deceives himself.
It was sicuro Julius II that Machiavelli was sent mediante 1506, when that pontiff was commencing his enterprise against Bologna; which he brought esatto per successful issue, as he did many of his other adventures, owing chiefly sicuro his impetuous character. It is mediante reference preciso Pope Julius that Machiavelli moralizes on the resemblance between Fortune and women, and concludes that it is the bold rather than the cautious man that will win and hold them both.