Analysis of the text The Prince by Machiavelli Essay

Analysis of the text The Prince by Machiavelli - Essay Example Firstly, the theorist identifies types of principalities, which he believes existed during the time. These principalities include those acquired through inheritance, mixed principalities, which are those annexed into pre-existing territories, new principalities and ecclesiastical principalities, which are under Papal States and ruled by the church (Machiavelli 84). Further, the types of armies that can maintain the reign of a prince are also highlighted with the author also highlighting how the prince can use these armies to his advantage given the risk that each might have on the preservation of power. Based on his analysis of the past and situation prevailing at the time of his authorship, Machiavelli presents Lorenzo de Medici prince of Florence with a well-thought-out plan of how he could reverse the political situation in Italy. The advice aimed at elevating the position of Italy amid continued conflict between powerful city-states such as, Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, and those who had sworn allegiance towards authority such as the Papacy, Spain, France and the Holy Roman Empire. The situation resulted cities positioning themselves for protection and domination over the others leading to blackmails, violence and heightened political intrigues that occasioned Machiavelli’s quest for Italian unity and end of foreign intervention into local affairs. This essay presents an analysis of ideas presented by Machiavelli in The Prince in order to gain a perspective on his understanding of the political situation in renaissance Italy. The Prince focuses on the issue of power and how to preserve it by firstly highlighting the different types of governments, or what Machiavelli refers to as principalities. Machiavelli accepts the existence of governments established as either monarchies or republics; his focus is on the former. However, what I perceive as the most controversial is Machiavelli’s concept of what it takes