THE PRINCE

CHAPTER 1 o Prince with barons holding title not by

Means in acquiring principalities: his grace but by right of their
 Hereditary inheritance
 By fortune or ability CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 2  Ways to keeping a state accustomed to live in
 Hereditary states accustomed to the family of freedom under its own laws
the ruler are more easily kept than new ones o Destroy it
o Should keep the same ancestral o Live there in person
methods of the states unless deprived o Let it continue to live under its own
by an exceptional or powerful force laws, taking tribute from it, and setting
(conquerors) up a government composed of a few
CHAPTER 3 men who will keep it friendly to you
 Conquered states which are joined to a state CHAPTER 6
already long held by the conqueror (same  The degree of difficulty which a newly risen
custom and language) is very easy to keep prince in a newly founded state encounters will
especially if they are not accustomed to depend upon the degree of ability he possesses
freedom  How a prince rise from being a private citizen
o Ways to hold on to the conquered o By ability
states: o By fortune (will be less successful in the
 Extinguish the ruling family future)
 Alter neither the laws nor the o Opportunity
taxes  Establishment of new order of government
 Acquisition of states with different language, o Most difficult to plan and to manage
customs, and laws is difficult and must use CHAPTER 7
fortune and ability to keep them  Two fickle and unstable things
o Solutions: o Will
 New ruler to reside there o Fortune
 Send colonies to one or two  Example of the type of leaders who rose
places which could serve to through will and fortune
shackle the state o Francesco Sforza
 Because colonies are  Duke of Milan
cheaper o Cesare Borgia
 The new prince must become a  Duke of Valentino
leader and defender of the less  Machiavelli’s good example for
powerful neighboring states a prince in possession of a
and seek to weaken the more newly acquired state
powerful among them  His actions that are to be
followed:
 King Louis’ mistakes  Guard against enemies
o Extinguished weaker powers  Gain allies
o Strengthened one that was already  Win either by force of
strong in Italy fraud
o Brought in a most potent foreign power  Loved and feared by
o Did not come and reside there subjects
o Failed to establish colonies  Respected and obeyed
CHAPTER 4 by troops
 Why successors are able to keep possession of  Annihilate those who
the kingdom after their leader’s death can or must attack you
o Aided by servants functioning as  Reform and modernize
ministers and governing by his favor old institutions
and concession  Be severe yet cordial
  Magnanimous (fair) and o Currently the excellently armed and
liberal free
 Abolish a disloyal militia CHAPTER 13
and create a new one  Auxiliary forces
 Preserve friendship of o Other kind of useless troops
kings and princes in o Such forces may be useful and
such a way that they trustworthy in pursuit of their own
will favor or oppose you interest, but they are almost always
cautiously disastrous to the one who borrows
 Borgia’s only failed action is them; for if they are defeated, he is
that of the election of Julius II ruined; and if victorious, he becomes
to papacy – wrong choice of the prisoner
favoritism  Mercenaries
CHAPTER 8 o Need more time and better opportunity
 Ways for a private citizen to become a if they are to hurt you after they have
prince gained a victory, since, having been
o Evil means assembled and hired by you, they are
 Agathocles of Sicily not united in one body
 Oliverotto de Ferno  The way to organize one’s own forces is easy to
o Through the wishes of fellow find if one examines the methods of the ways of
citizens these four individuals
CHAPTER 9 o Hiero of Syracuse
 Civil principality o Charles VII
o Becoming a prince through the o Pope Julius
aid of his fellow citizens or the o Cesare Borgia
nobles 
 Two opposing sides:
o By the fellow citizens
o Nobles
 Three consequences
o Principality
o Liberty
o License
CHAPTER 10
 How strength of all principalities shall be
measured
o Men for combat
o Money
CHAPTER 11
 Ecclesiastical principalities
o Gained through ability or fortune
o May be kept without one or the other
because they are sustained by ancient
laws rooted in religion
CHAPTER 12
 Mercenaries or Auxiliaries and sound laws
o Essential foundations for any state
 Any ruler who keeps his state dependent upon
mercenaries will never have real peace or
security
 Swiss