The Prince is Niccolò Machiavelli’s celebrated treatise on political power, written in 1513 and dedicated to Lorenzo de’ Medici. In a series of short, pointed chapters it analyzes how rulers acquire, consolidate, and retain authority, drawing on examples from ancient Rome and the turbulent politics of Renaissance Italy. Machiavelli set aside conventional moral idealism to examine statecraft as it actually operates.
Famous for the maxim that it is better to be feared than loved, the book remains the most influential and controversial work of political thought from the early modern period. Its frank discussion of cunning, force, and fortune gave the world the word “Machiavellian.” This free EPUB edition presents the complete English translation for students of history, politics, and the Renaissance.