Prince: The Original Classic

Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher and writer, and is considered one of the founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat and civil servant in the Florentine Republic in the sixteenth century, until arrested for conspiracy in 1513 after which he gave his time to writing. Tom Butler-Bowdon is the author of five bestselling books on classic self-help and motivational writing. He has been described by USA Today as 'a true scholar of this type of literature'. His first book, 50 Self-Help Classics, won the 2004 Benjamin Franklin award. www.butler-bowdon.com

• Dedication 5I Of the Various Kinds of Princedom, and of the Ways in Which They are Acquired 9II Of Hereditary Princedoms 11III Of Mixed Princedoms 15IV Why the Kingdom of Darius, Conquered by Alexander, Did Not, on Alexander’s Death, Rebel Against His Successors 31V How Cities or Provinces Which Before Their Acquisition Have Lived Under Their Own Laws are to Be Governed 37VI Of New Princedoms Which a Prince Acquires With His Own Arms and by Merit 41VII Of New Princedoms Acquired By the Aid of Others and By Good Fortune 49VIII Of Those Who By Their Crimes Come to Be Princes 63IX Of the Civil Princedom 71X How the Strength of All Princedoms Should Be Measured 79XI Of Ecclesiastical Princedoms 83XII How Many Different Kinds of Soldiers There are, and of Mercenaries 89XIII Of Auxiliary, Mixed, and National Arms 99XIV Of the Duty of a Prince In Respect of Military Affairs 107XV Of the Qualities In Respect of Which Men, and Most of all Princes, are Praised or Blamed 113XVI Of Liberality and Miserliness 117XVII Of Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether It is Better to Be Loved or Feared 123XVIII How Princes Should Keep Faith 129XIX That a Prince Should Seek to Escape Contempt and Hatred 135XX Whether Fortresses, and Certain Other Expedients to Which Princes Often Have Recourse, are Profitable or Hurtful 153XXI How a Prince Should Bear Himself So As to Acquire Reputation 161XXII Of the Secretaries of Princes 169XXIII That Flatterers Should Be Shunned 173XXIV Why the Princes of Italy Have Lost Their States 179XXV What Fortune Can Effect in Human Affairs, and How She May Be Withstood 183XXVI An Exhortation to Liberate Italy from the Barbarians 191