Ferdinand II, King of Aragon plays a large role in Machiavelli’s The Prince. Although Machiavelli utilizes Cesare Borgia as the central example figure, Ferdinand II is the ultimate example of Machiavelli’s teachings and message. Ferdinand is ruthless, his mind is always preoccupied with war, he acts on his ambitions swiftly and before others can, and has achieved a balance of being both pious and cruel. In the text he’s described as “an almost new prince,” one whose example you can find none which are “more retched and rarer than [his]” (88). He is also “The First Christian Prince,” and plays a critical role in The Prince in distinguishing the part in which the church plays in establishing new modes and orders. In fact, in Machiavelli’s unfolding
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In chapter XV, Machiavelli describes being merciful (or pious) and being cruel as opposite attributes that a prince can possess. Ferdinand however, is described as both. In chapter XXI Machiavelli writes, “…always making use of religion, [Ferdinand] turned to an act of pious cruelty…,” (XXI. 88). He also writes, “…he perpetrated an act of cruelty dressed up at piety, stripping Marrano Jews of their wealth and expelling them from his kingdom, a move that could hardly have been more distressing,” (XXI. 88). Numerous other examples in The Prince have acted similarly to that of Ferdinand in using piety or cruelty to achieve their own ends. Such examples come mainly from chapter VI in Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, and Theseus (VI. 27). Each of these examples used God as their means in achieving their own agenda. On the other side, other princes have been known to be cruel, but not pious, such as Agathocles of Syracuse who was “without religion,” (VIII. 35). Ferdinand however, is the only one to use piety with violence and his own arms. Thus, Machiavelli establishes Ferdinand’s role in The Prince as one who is somewhat new, and perhaps somewhat of an example in being one of the only examples in being faithful by faithlessness who achieves greatness not for the church, but by using the church. Machiavelli attempts to illustrate here that Ferdinand is one of the only examples in his work, and possibly history, to turn to an act of pious cruelty, an act in which instead of using the role of church to succeed his own ends, also uses it for violence. He is the prime example of what a prince can achieve if separated even a little from a church, though not
In chapter XV, Machiavelli describes being merciful (or pious) and being cruel as opposite attributes that a prince can possess. Ferdinand however, is described as both. In chapter XXI Machiavelli writes, “…always making use of religion, [Ferdinand] turned to an act of pious cruelty…,” (XXI. 88). He also writes, “…he perpetrated an act of cruelty dressed up at piety, stripping Marrano Jews of their wealth and expelling them from his kingdom, a move that could hardly have been more distressing,” (XXI. 88). Numerous other examples in The Prince have acted similarly to that of Ferdinand in using piety or cruelty to achieve their own ends. Such examples come mainly from chapter VI in Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, and Theseus (VI. 27). Each of these examples used God as their means in achieving their own agenda. On the other side, other princes have been known to be cruel, but not pious, such as Agathocles of Syracuse who was “without religion,” (VIII. 35). Ferdinand however, is the only one to use piety with violence and his own arms. Thus, Machiavelli establishes Ferdinand’s role in The Prince as one who is somewhat new, and perhaps somewhat of an example in being one of the only examples in being faithful by faithlessness who achieves greatness not for the church, but by using the church. Machiavelli attempts to illustrate here that Ferdinand is one of the only examples in his work, and possibly history, to turn to an act of pious cruelty, an act in which instead of using the role of church to succeed his own ends, also uses it for violence. He is the prime example of what a prince can achieve if separated even a little from a church, though not