The Florentine History

What it is

This is an English translation, published in 1906, of Machiavelli's history of Florence. It was translated from the Italian by Ninian Hill Thomson and printed in London. The scanned copy comes from a library edition now held online.

Why it matters

Machiavelli wrote this history of Florence himself, drawing on his years of political experience and observation of the city's rulers and conflicts. It is considered a major narrative source for understanding his political thinking, showing how his ideas about power and government grew out of real events he witnessed or studied.

Look closer

• Why might a statesman like Machiavelli choose to write a history of his own city?
• This is a translation made centuries after Machiavelli wrote the original — what might be lost or changed in translation?
• What kind of events would Machiavelli choose to include or leave out when writing about his own government?