Author: Luke Simone; Title: Madrigal The Life and Times of Niccolo Machiavelli; Imprint Lulu; Copyright: Luke Simone, 20 December, 2023; ISBN 9 781446 164709; Historical Fiction; Political Philosophy; Renaissance; Italy 16th century; Enhanced Edition. An historical novel set in Florence during the Renaissance and reign of the powerful Medici family. The novel's main protagonist is Niccolo Machiavelli, the well-known political philosopher and historian who famously coined the term "the end justifies the means". Niccolo lived in troubled times, not only for his city Florence, but Italy as a whole. Italy at the time was overrun with foreign armies, notably the French and the Spanish, but also bands of mercenaries who ravaged and laid waste to the countryside. As Florence's premier diplomat, it was his responsibility to negotiate with the much more powerful monarchs of Europe in order to secure his city from its many enemies, such as the Venetians and ruthless men like Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI. While renaissance Florence was Europe's leading light of art and learning, attracting scholars and artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola, Sandro Botticelli, Raphael and Michaelangelo, it was a relatively weak state prone to be buffeted and exploited by stronger ones. From his bitter experiences, Niccolo derived certain political and philosophical conclusions which he wrote down in his best known work, 'The Prince'. This novel uses authentic historical documents and letters written by Niccolo himself which reveal the progression of his political ideas and views about the Church, the Florentines, Italian society, its history and culture and above all, Italy's turbulent political and military situation.