Machiavelli Chapter 6 Summary

In Chapters six through nine, Machiavelli tackles the issue of the prince acquiring totally new principalities. Conquests by virtue is the theme Machiavelli presents in Chapter six. He cites the example of Moses as a conquering prince, who delivered orders from God. According to Machiavelli in Chapter seven, a prince can come into power by luck or by powerful figures within the regime. The prince typically has an easier time gaining power but a hard time keeping it thereafter, because his power is extremely dependent on his benefactors ' goodwill. Conquest by criminal virtue is the theme of Chapter eight. Machiavelli asserts that the prince be careful and calculate all the illegal deeds that the needs to do in order to secure power. The prince

In order words, without sovereignty a land or principalities cannot exist as to obtain sovereignty is to secure one’s lands from outside influences and attacks. This is the theme of Chapters ten through fourteen. Chapter ten deals with the assessment of the strength on the prince’s principalities. Machievelli suggests the best way to judge the strength of principalities is to see whether it can defend itself or does it need allies to aid in it defense. This assessment does not limit itself to the cities defenses, rather it is expanded to the preparation of its citizens as trained militia. Chapter eleven deals with ecclesiastical or religious principalities. Machiavelli states these are relatively easy to maintain once founded and advices the Medic that they too are in a position to take over such principalities since Pope Leo X, a Medici family, is at the head of the Catholic church. Now that Machiavelli has discussed the various types of principalities, he turns to the ways in which a state can attack other territories or defend itself from such attacks. Therefore, chapters twelve through fourteen pertain to the defense and military are