(1469-1527) Machiavelli was an Italian statesman and political theorist. He transformed the army of Florence by recruiting troops that were civilians of Florence rather than mercenaries. When the Medici family regained power in Florence in 1512, Machiavelli fell from power and was briefly imprisoned. After his release, he retired and wrote his famous work The Prince, which outlines the methods by which an Italian prince can gain power. The term "Machiavellian" today suggests a mode of behavior marked by cunning, amoral deception.
