Niccolò Machiavelli

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"I am an Assassin. Trained in the ancient ways to safeguard mankind's evolution. Just like you, and each one of us here."

―Machiavelli to Ezio upon their first meeting

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was an Italian philosopher, writer, and is considered one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, musician, and playwright, but foremost he was a civil servant of the Florentine Republic. He was most famous for writing The Prince, which lays out guides to achieving political power through, among other techniques, the art of deception and manipulation, establishing what would later be known as "Machiavellian ideas".

Biography

Early life

Niccolò was born in Florence as the third son of attorney Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli and his wife Bartolomea di Stefano Nelli.

Niccolò was trained and inducted into the Assassin Order at an early age.

Acquiring the Apple of Eden

At age 19, Niccolò and a group of other Assassins gathered in Venice to acquire the "Apple of Eden" from Rodrigo Borgia, the Grand Master of the Templar Order. When the group arrived at Rodrigo's location, they found him fighting with Ezio Auditore, the son of the the late Assassin Giovanni Auditore. The other Assassins rushed to Ezio's aid, whereas Niccolò watched from the distance.

After the group killed the guards and severely injured Rodrigo, the group revealed themselves to be Assassins to Ezio, which was previously unknown by him. They went on to a tall tower in Venice, where they inducted Ezio into the Order before one after the other performing Leaps of Faith.

Battle of Forlì

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Niccolò, Caterina and Ezio battle their way into the city of Forlì

Shortly after inducting Ezio into the Assassin Order, Niccolò accompanied Ezio to Forlì; where they intended to hide the Apple from the Templars, as it was under the rule of one of their allies; Caterina Sforza.

After entering the outskirts of Forlì, they discovered the city was under siege by the Orsi brothers. During the siege, Niccolò fought against Ludovico Orsi, but was overwhelmed after the Orsi troops began to close in on him from behind. The Apple was taken, but Niccolò sent Ezio to retrieve it, after Ludovico's assassination at the hands of Ezio, the Apple was taken from Ezio by the monk Savonarola.

Bonfire of the Vanities

In 1497, Niccolò met with Ezio again in Florence and informed him that Savonarola had taken control of the city by using the Apple. Ezio figured that if he killed all nine of Savonarola's lieutenants, his grip would weaken. Niccolò informed La Volpe and Paola of Ezio's plan and with each lieutenant killed, the three encouraged the people to stand up against Savonarola.

When all the lieutenants were killed, an angry mob swarmed Savonarola's residence, the Palazzo Pitti. Savonarola tried to calm the crowd with the Apple, but Ezio knocked it out of his hand with a well-thrown knife and one of Rodrigo Borgia's men acquired it, causing Ezio to chase him down and retrieve it. Savonarola was then taken to be burned alive and the Assassins watched from the distance. Ezio figured that no one should die in such agony and killed him before the flames could reach him. After Ezio gave a speech to inspire the crowd to follow their own ways, the Assassins left the scene.

War with the Borgia

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Niccolò and Ezio meet in Rome.

Machiavelli: "I intend to write a book about you one day."

Ezio: "If you do, make it short."

—Ezio and Machiavelli, after settling all their differences.

In December 1499, Niccolò, Ezio, Mario Auditore, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, La Volpe, Antonio de Magianis, Paola and Teodora Contanto, some of the most high-ranking Assassins, gathered in the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni to discuss the location of "the Vault". They came to the conclusion that the Vault was located in Rome and that Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope because the Papal Staff was the second Piece of Eden. All of them left for Rome to distract the Borgia guards while Ezio infiltrated the Vatican.

Niccolò returned to Monteriggioni to listen to what Ezio had discovered inside the Vault. Upon hearing that Ezio spared Rodrigo, he furiously left for Rome to take down the Borgia once and for all. The following morning, Monteriggioni was attacked by the Borgia, under the command of Cesare Borgia. Niccolò's disappearance right in front of the attack aroused some suspicion with La Volpe, who thought that Machiavelli was secretly working for the Borgia. During the attack, Mario Auditore was killed and Niccolò took command over the chaotic Assassin Order, basing themselves on Tiber Island in Rome.

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Niccolò speaking with Ezio and Fabio Orsini.

Following the attack, Ezio left for Rome as well, but succumbed to a gunshot wound he received during the attack on his journey. Niccolò brought him to a woman living in Rome's countryside, who took care of Ezio's wounds. He also left Ezio a message to come meet him in front of the Mausoleo di Augusto. Upon meeting Ezio there, Niccolò informed him of Rome's corrupt state and lent him some money to buy himself some equipment. He also 'introduced' him to the Followers of Romulus, who he expected to be working for the Borgia, and showed him a faster way of traveling via the city's sewer system, which they used to get back to their hideout. One of the Assassins' few allies, Fabio Orsini, who had lent the hideout to the Assassins, was waiting for them there.

In 1503, La Volpe believed he had gathered enough evidence that Niccolò was working for the Borgia and therefore told Ezio to "do what he had to do". As Ezio was sure that Niccolò wasn't a traitor, he did not kill him. Instead, La Volpe himself left for Tiber Island, ready to assassinate Niccolò. Ezio, however, found out that one of La Volpe's own thieves was the traitor and managed to inform La Volpe of this, seconds before he would kill Niccolò. La Volpe, pretending that nothing had happened, came back into contact with Niccolò afterwards.

Niccolò promoting Ezio to head of the Assassin Order.

Over the course of three years, Niccolò began to realize that Ezio was the better leader, as he was the one who was actually leading the war against the Borgia and had revived the Order back to its former glory. Thus, after Ezio's sister Claudia Auditore da Firenze's initiation into the Brotherhood, Niccolò placed Ezio at the head of the Assassin Order. When Ezio asked why he had a sudden change of heart, Niccolò admitted that he had always stood by Ezio and had helped him in various tasks, saying that he always had faith in him. Ezio in turn made Niccolò his "most trusted adviser". Niccolò planned to write a book about Ezio, with the latter asking that it be short, before performing a leap of faith to finally kill the Borgias.

Florentine militia

Shortly afterwards, between 1503 and 1506, Machiavelli returned to Florence, where he was responsible for leading the Florentine militia. Strangely, he noted on multiple occasions he distrusted mercenaries, while he in fact led the Florentine mercenaries. His militia managed to defeat Pisa in 1509. However, in August 1512, they were defeated by the Medici, aided by Spanish troops and Pope Julius II. Florence was dissolved as a city-state. Machiavelli was deprived of office in 1512 and arrested in 1513, accused of conspiracy. He was tortured in prison, though he denied involvement in any conspiracy. He was released and he retired to his estate in Sant'Andrea in Percussina.

Later life

During his stay at his estate, he wrote Il Principe ("The Prince"), which was one relatively short book, written in a few months. The Prince was written for a specific reason during a specific time in Italian history (a period when the Medici family had the opportunity to build a strong Italian state in central Italy and drive out the 'barbarians'). He also wrote the Discourses of Livy. This thesis (which was written over a significant period of his life) reflected Machiavelli's more republican notions of government, and is a far more comprehensive thesis than The Prince.

These two manuscripts were banned by the Church because they were a direct target to many reforms written by Machiavelli, as he sought to help unite the city-states of Italy under government, not religion. Together the Discourses and The Prince explain show us that, in real life, he was an individual who preferred a republican government, but was prepared to accept a principality if it ensured the survival of the state.

There have also been suggestions that The Prince is a piece of overt political satire, this is inspired in part by the fact his magnum opus, the Discourses of Livy, contain arguments that clash with the contents of The Prince. Particularly interesting was the fact the book was written in Italian rather than Latin, as was the common practice by Italy's intelligentsia at the time, this suggests that the book was actually written to be digested by Italy's common people rather than the ruling classes of the time (who likely were already aware of the techniques described within the book).

Machiavelli died on 21 June 1527, aged 58. His final resting place is the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence.

Trivia

• The fact that the in-game Machiavelli was the leader of Florence's mercenaries doesn't match with his real-life counterpart. In real life, Machiavelli was against the use of mercenaries; he believed that they were unreliable because they fought only for payment, and were not loyal. However, it is possible that mercenaries were meant to represent the Florentine militia, which Machiavelli commanded in real life. This is supported by the fact that he made complaints about mercenaries during the Bonfire of the Vanities.
  • However, in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, he openly admitted to Ezio that the mercenaries that aided him in the Colosseo were sent by him.
• In Assassin's Creed: Renaissance, Machiavelli himself tells Ezio Auditore that Cristina Vespucci and her husband Manfredo Soderini were murdered by Savonarola's men, however in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Ezio manages to get to them both individually just moments before they both die and Machiavelli is not mentioned at all during this memory.
• Despite being only 19 when he first met Ezio Auditore, Machiavelli acted very mature towards his elder Assassin.
• If Ezio chooses to do nothing during the moment where Savonarola tries to silence the crowd in Bonfire of the Vanities, Machiavelli himself will step in and be the one to throw a knife at Savonarola's hand.
• Historically, Machiavelli had good relations with the Borgia family. In 1502, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Cesare Borgia. He called Rodrigo Borgia a very successful politician, because he was the prototype of a leader who has no scruples to reach his target, and historically, it is also said that Machiavelli greatly admired Cesare Borgia.
• In Brotherhood, it is suggested that a few of Machiavelli's later works were inspired by his interactions with Ezio. "I intend to write a book about you one day." helps to solidfy this suggestion

Gallery

Artwork and portraits

• Concept art for Niccolò Machiavelli.
  Concept art for Niccolò Machiavelli.
• Machiavelli with a longsword.
  Machiavelli with a longsword.
• Niccolò Machiavelli's database profile.
  Niccolò Machiavelli's database profile.

In-game

• Niccolò in 1500.
  Niccolò in 1500.