Living in a turbulent time in Florence in the late 1400s and early 1500s, Machiavelli was a statesman who took a special interest in observing the distinct intelligence that made certain rulers successful. The Prince is one of the definitive statements of power and control and is based on what he saw, not what he felt or imagined.

These concise supplement to Machiavelli's The Prince helps students understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.