‘The Prince’ provides an insightful and philosophical political thinking rendered from a European perspective. ‘The Prince’ is a study of his experience regarding the behavioral patterns of politicians during his period. His ideas about rulers have a continuing impact in present-day thought how politicians should be or should not be. He proclaimed that he was the founder of modern political science with the experience and exposure he gained as a Florentine Statesman during this period. As an official in the Florentine Republic during the Renaissance, Machiavelli was responsible for diplomatic and military affairs of the State and he observed rulers, leaders and unscrupulous politicians. His writings have analyzed public figures and institutions. There are many dispatches as well as letters which are in existence to date to prove his diplomatic missions. During his trips to France and Germany, he saw the mechanisms of statecraft firsthand. During the next 14 years, Machiavelli carried out many diplomatic missions on behalf of Florence, traveled to most important centers in Italy, to the Royal Court of France as well as to the Imperial Curia of Maximilian. Machiavelli became a public figure when he assumed duties as the Second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence in 1498. As a well-esteemed statesman, Machiavelli represented Florence on foreign missions and wrote reports about them which were highly respected for their contents as well as the manner in which he wrote them. Machiavelli’s purpose in writing ‘The Prince’ was twofold firstly, to show a ruler or would-be ruler how he could uphold a safe and prosperous state in the midst of the political turmoil of early 16th century in Italy and secondly, to redeem himself in the eyes of the ruler of Florence, Lorenzo de’ Medici, son of Piero de’ Medici. ‘The Prince’ was written in 1513 but was published posthumously in 1532, five years after his death. The book comprises 26 chapters and an opening dedication to Lorenzo de Medici.

The book is considered as a persuasion for people in Italy to visualize a situation of an ideal head of state ruling a unified Italy. According to scholars, it, is a guidebook for an ideal prince, a handbook for politicians about the use of cruel, self-serving shrewd manner of ruling and an extended study of how to acquire as well as sustain political power. ‘The Prince’ is the first authentic book of political science which examines power. Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli popularly known as Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 - 1527) was an Italian politician, diplomat, philosopher as well as a writer based in Florence, Italy during the Renaissance.

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