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The Prince


            In Machiavelli's book, The Prince, he sets forth a realistic handbook in which a "prince", in his opinion, could use to be a more successful leader. The ideals set forth in his writing are not extremely abstract and unattainable but much more realistic then many theorists of his time. He based his utopian leader on characteristics in three main areas; power through politics, war, and goodwill. He believed that the benevolence among the civilian population was crucial in gaining and maintaining power. He explains his "prince" as an individual whom evades the hatred yet obtains the fear of his people, one who coincides the success of laws with the success of a military, and somebody who has human qualities that are admired by others. Of course at the time Machiavelli wrote this book no one had expressed all of these qualities in there ruling of a state, but many were partially what he had dreamed. Henry the VII rose and kept his power though some characteristics named in The Prince, and some not. .
             Henry the VII served as the king of England from 1509 until his death in 1547. He rose to power through the inheritance of his father. This method of becoming a leader is similar to Machiavelli's theory of coming to power through fortune, meaning good luck. But even though Henry VII gained his power through fortune he kept through his positive attributes as a ruler. .
             Henry VII succeeded not only as a ruler but through his skills in music and in sports. In his later years as king he was given the title Defender of faith from the pope due to his exposition against Martin Luther. These are all example of human qualities that are admired by others, which Machiavelli saw as a necessitated trait of a ruler. But on the other side Henry VII also had traits that were not admired, rather frowned upon. He had utmost self-esteem and was known to never take credit for his own faults. He was even known to harshly punish and sometimes even execute his own ministers for his mistakes.


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