Machiavellis

Machiavellis refers to the members of the Machiavelli family, a Florentine lineage known in the late medieval and Renaissance periods. The surname is Italian and has been linked to public service, law, and administration in Florence. The most famous bearer is Niccolò Machiavelli (c. 1469–1527), a diplomat, civil servant, and writer who worked for the Florentine Republic and is best known for his political treatise The Prince, which analyzes power and statecraft and has shaped later political theory.

Other members of the Machiavelli family appear in Florentine records as officials, notaries, or merchants. Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli (c. 1425–1500) is commonly cited as Niccolò’s father and a public administrator in early Florentine governance, though precise details vary by source. The family continued to appear in Tuscan civic and professional life for generations, reflecting a broader pattern of involvement in local administration during the Renaissance.

In modern culture, the surname Machiavelli is often associated with pragmatic or calculating political tactics, a connection reinforced by Niccolò’s legacy and the coinage of the adjective Machiavellian. Scholars emphasize the historical and textual complexities of his writings, including discussions of republics, virtue, and political realism, rather than presenting a single, uniform doctrine.

Notable figures: Niccolò Machiavelli; Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli. See also: The Prince; Discourses on Livy.