Machiavelli The Prince Chapter 6 Summary

Sometimes the enemy will come and destroy the fields which are outside the city walls. A good solution I would suggest is to put watch towers and military barracks near the fields, in the country side so there can be soldiers ready to defend the fields. Chapter eleven deals with ecclesiastical Princedoms, which are acquired by merit or good luck, but are maintained by neither of those. These states are upheld by religious institutions who keep the princes in power, not matter how they live or act. These princes do not defend their states. They have subjects but do not rule over them. Even so, these states are live happily. Before Pope Alexander VI, kings in Italy did not respect the popes and their authority. After him, other popes continued to increase the power of the church. Machiavelli suggests Lorenzo de’ Medici to make his position great through his goodness. One thing I can notice in this chapter is the ambition for power of the popes who they claim to be the
Machiavelli makes it look like war is a hobby or a skill that the prince should be always improving. He says “...for war is the sole art looked for in one who rules...” A prince who is not involved in military affairs cannot be respected by his soldiers, and he does not know them well enough to trust them. The author says that the prince, in times of peace, should study his lands and states, so that he can know how to defend his country in times of war, or so he could be acquainted with the local authorities. He tells us of the Prince of the Achaians, who would always go to the country side to study it and think of methods to attack, defend from, or flee from his enemy. Machiavelli encourages princes to read stories of great military captains and conquerors so that he may learn from them. After reading this, I wonder what Machiavelli would think of the president of Costa Rica who does not have a national