Date of Defense
5-1976
Department
History
Abstract
Machiavelli lived in an exhilarating period of Florentine history which saw the Pazzi Conspiracy, the death of the great Lorenzo de Medici, the invasion by Charles VIII of France, the exile of the Medici from Florence, the formation of the Florentine Republic, the execution of Savonarola, the restoration of the Medici and their second expulsion. As the secretary to the Committee of Ten, Machiavelli dealt with some of the most dynamic and famous people and places of his time. He negotiated with Caterina Sforza, haggled with Cesare Borgia, observed Savonarola, and dealt with the great Medici family. As a Florentine diplomat he dealt with provocative issues in both France and the Holy Roman Empire. These experiences impressed Machiavelli deeply and stimulated his thought.
Recommended Citation
Luff, Connie, "The Formation of Machiavelli's Political Thought" (1976). Honors Theses. 1271.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/1271
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Campus Only