The Prince | Characters

Share

Share

Click to copy

Character	Description
Machiavelli	Niccolò Machiavelli, the narrator of The Prince, served as the defense secretary for Florence until the Medici family reclaimed power in 1513; he was sent into exile and wrote The Prince during this time. Read More
Lorenzo de' Medici	Lorenzo de' Medici ruled Florence from 1513 to 1519; Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to him. Read More
Pope Leo X	Pope Leo X was Lorenzo de' Medici's uncle who helped reestablish the family's power in Florence and named his nephew ruler. Read More
Cesare Borgia	Cesare Borgia was the brutal commander of the papal army in 1496; Machiavelli uses him as a model of the "new prince."
Ferdinand II of Aragon	Ferdinand II of Aragon was the King of Spain from 1479 to 1516.
King Louis XII	King Louis XII was a popular ruler in France but became known for his disastrous role as King of Naples; Machiavelli cites him as an example of how not to rule.
Hannibal	Hannibal led the Carthaginian army across the Alps in 218 BCE during the Second Punic War.
L. Septimius Severus	L. Septimius Severus was the totalitarian emperor of Rome from 193 to 211.
Alexander the Great	Alexander the Great was a renowned military strategist who served as king of Macedonia from 336 to 323 BCE.
Julius Caesar	Julius Caesar was the dictator often credited with establishing the Roman Empire.
Cyrus the Great	Cyrus the Great established the First Persian Empire and was considered to be the ideal leader, according to Machiavelli.
Romulus	Romulus was the first king of Rome.

Context Character Analysis

Have study documents to share about The Prince? Upload them to earn free Course Hero access!