Although Machiavelli himself referred to the work as Of Principalities, when it was finally published five years after his death it appeared under the title The Prince. It is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential works of political philosophy, and its impact on political thought has been difficult to overstate ever since.

The Prince functions as a practical guide to political action, shaped by Machiavelli’s experiences as a Florentine foreign secretary and informed by the lessons he drew from classical and contemporary history. It is a concise but uncompromising treatise on the acquisition of power and, perhaps more crucially, on the means by which power can be maintained.

The term ‘Machiavellian’ has come to signify cunning, scheming, and moral unscrupulousness (particularly in politics) and many readers continue to find Machiavelli’s ideas shocking. Yet whether the book is read as manipulative and ruthless, or simply as a clear-eyed account of political reality, is a judgement best made firsthand. The Prince remains a challenging, provocative, and essential read for anyone interested in power, politics, or human nature.