Italy's leading cultural center during Renaissance; important for trade and commerce;dominated by Medici's
Machiavelli 1469-1527 Niccolo, most important writer on POLITICS in the Renaissance. In The Prince rejected the Christian idea that state subject to divine law. Adopted SECULAR and AMORAL view of POLITICS. State existed for its own sake. Ruler should be concerned with preservation of power. Ends justified means. Yet most successful states of time were not in Italy but the New Monarchies. Politics in Italy was about virtu not involving loyalty as in New Monarchies.
Florence became the center of the Renaissance. Because of its extensive trading network also for inviting the painters and sculptures from all over Italy. Florence ruled by the Medici family. Medici family being wealthy merchants (bankers) in Florence, spend much of their wealth in making Florence into a center of art and culture. They became patrons who believed in individualism.
Niccolò Machiavelli, a philosopher, who wrote 'The Prince' gave the idea of how a ruler must stay in power. Also, what a ruler should do and not do to gain his ambitions.
