No longer did supreme authority (such as the Pope) appoint officials and leaders. The authority rested in the hands of the person willing to take charge. This approach to gaining wealth and power can be described as Machiavellian, named so by the influence of ideologist Niccolo Machiavelli. ... Machiavelli expanded on his belief in the Prince--that Italians should behave with ferocity when it comes to politics--and should back up that ferocity with a unified force. Machiavelli's principles have had a profound effect on the way Europe and the rest of the world has viewed politics for cen...

• Word Count: 1970
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This new era of a political and churchly kingdom became the central theme of the Middle Ages of how the two authorities led to religious and political conflicts. ... Feudalism augmented the Church's authority over the state by unifying the peasants in the harshness of manor life. ... In conclusion, there was a rise and fall of state authority surpassing church authority, but overall, the state remained more prestigious than the church. ... Once again, the state dominates the church for the church lost extreme authority for failing the citizens during the detrimental Black Death epidemic. ...

• Word Count: 1153
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The philosopher, Machiavelli, is an example of this, as he made attempts to find a balance between freedom and authority, something that was very useful in life and put no confidence in the church or God. ...

• Word Count: 1596
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate