Niccolò Machiavelli: The Prince (1513)
Audience
Machiavelli's immediate audience for The Prince was Giuliano de' Medici, to whom the book was originally dedicated, but after Giuliano died in 1516, Machiavelli quickly changed the dedication to Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici. At first glance it appears that he dedicated the book to members of the Medici family in order to curry favor as an office seeker. It is possible, though, that Machiavelli did not have a specific audience in mind. What he sought was a hearing from those who would use his lessons to unite Italy. However, his broader intentions in writing the book have puzzled numerous scholars.
