The Fox of Florence | The Life & Times of Machiavelli (ft. Blue from OSP!)

Happy Black Friday, U.S.A.! Have a nearly eight minute long video for the same everyday low low price. And all you other countries, you can watch it too I guess. Turns out the method to Machiavelli's madness was mollifying mad Medici after a mountain of madness above the Mediterranean. Special thanks to Blue for lending me his expertise on the subject and coming in to talk about Machiavelli's writing. No discussion on Machiavelli would be complete without it, and chances are I wouldn't have been able to do it without him. That means don't expect any more videos in excess of five and a half minutes, ya hear?
Footnotes:
2:20 The link in question: • Armchair History: The ... I'm telling you, half the research for this video was watching OSP videos. Bare in mind though that the reputation of the Borgia might be a result of history being written by the victors. Consider this article a grain of salt: www.historytoda...
3:15 Actually it was a mix of plays, poems, and novels, but you get the idea.
Music in order of appearance:
Kevin Macleod - Lift Motif
Kevin Macleod - Hidden Past
Kevin Macleod - Backbay Lounge
Kevin Macleod - Deadly Roulette
Kevin Macleod - Hammock Fight
Jesper Kyd - Home in Florence
Kevin Macleod - Local Forecast
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Check out the latest Life & Times: Joseph Haydn!
• The Least Interesting ...
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[@chrisserrific]

I'll never forget the day my political philosophy teacher asked us if we thought Machiavelli was wrong, and no one raised their hand. We went around the room, all of us saying more or less, "Yeah, it's kind of shitty, but that's how politics works." He really wanted someone to disagree, for someone to argue the limitations on the utility of violence... you've never seen a man look so dejected in your life. I think he wanted to see some kind of optimism. It just wasn't there.

[@carl9022]

chrisserrificvirgin professor vs the chad students

[@JonatasAdoM]

Too much GOT

[@punkwrestle]

You should buy him Game of Thrones.

[@C104-k5m]

@malcador the sigillite isnt marxism partly about violently sizing the means of production

[@MrDemonWorm]

@@C104-k5m That's basically just Step 1, but in this context, yes you're right.

[@CogitoEdu]

I want that drunk Pope to have his own TV show, where he just yells at European rulers. Awesome video by the way!

[@SophSophSoph298]

I wonder what he would say to hitler

[@garyoakham9723]

Minecraft Engineer1971 you did nothing wrong

[@Eamonshort1]

The Drunk Pope will be the sequel to the young pope and the new pope

[@sachinvenugopal6926]

You can try it 😂

[@AJNpa80]

Thought that was you, the Irish animator guy, you're probably my favorite channel, if it's not Atlas Pro, can't decide, this guy's good too, fun style, just found it, any ways keep up the good work on your channel.

[@edmeister4031]

"Aren't you a Cardinal?" "I mean uhhh.. I dunno." Oh god, I chose the wrong time to drink..

[@christophermccree4754]

Edmeister is that a wild miyamoto mushashi

[@nobilesnovushomo58]

Machiavelli to Bush: I see you read my book when you started the Iraq war to keep the world price of the lifeblood of modern economies from becoming tumultuous. Machiavelli to Obama: I see you read my book when you started war in Syria to gain exclusive rights to piping, and turning Libya into a failed state to keep the petro-dollar deal as the sole way to obtain oil, lending your currency legitimacy, as well as further cementing it's value as a basket currency. Me: If you were vulnerable enough to fall to his deceptions and want such a large government capable of hosting and funding such eclectic pursuits, you deserve what follows. Millennial peers do not deserve my Gen Z respect. "B-but I don't pay attention..." "so that makes it better? you create a massive government and give it massive power, only to never take the time out of your day to look into your own party's and government's institutionally intrinsic interests?"

[@thomaskole9881]

Concerning the Prince, there's also the take on it that Machiavelli wrote so that ordinary people (well, at least those that could read in the 16th century) might be more aware of the tricks rulers/monarchs etc. use to gain and stay in power.

[@EyeLean5280]

Which I think is why the Medici didn't like it very much.

[@Рэгын]

@@JohnDoe-xv9du Although wasn't it written in italian (which the common people could read)?

[@h3nder]

@@JohnDoe-xv9du that is just straight up not true, people were able to read their own language, not write it maybe but defo read it.

[@viktordesinope3359]

EyeLean5280 and the church. We need to remember that he criticized the moral view that the church had for men in politics.

[@giorgiomoladerosa15]

@@Рэгын don't know if u would read this since is kind of necroposting, but just to let you know at the time there was no kind of Italian language. Every bit of the peninsula had its own dialect (we still do, btw I'm Italian myself), which are between themselves completely different languages, since the south was heavily influence by Spanish, Arab and French dominance while the north was its own thing with all different influences, from the Austrians to the French again. Macchiavelli was Tuscan, and so he used Tuscan dialect which is the one the national Italian language came from (yes, we kinda said "fuck off" to all the other dialects but still, some regional word got through). So, to conclude my ex cursus, no it wasn't meant to be understand by every Italian because even if they were capable of reading they had still to learn the dialect if they weren't Tuscans

[@ItsNotMyWallet]

How did I get so lucky in finding this channel. It's gold

[@jonahhensley7779]

Well, at least kingdoms in Italy are consistent. They've been switching sides since the middle ages.

[@catherinepoteat]

Jonah Hensley IM DEAD XD

[@miguelpadeiro762]

Lol

[@torresliam7681]

From the Germans to the spanish and the French, very consistent

[@naysaynetwork5271]

Even the Italian mob works the same lol. Italy sucks basically 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@luigin649]

@@naysaynetwork5271 just imagine thinking that in history italy was the only nation that during the middle ages changed sides ,each republic changed allies at every chance...we are talking of times where to own a land you had to marry someone you have never seen. France did it too, germany, spain...a bit everyone licking the pope's asses....

[@bb-cc8hh]

LOVE the Assassin's Creed soundtrack in the background!!!!

[@Coinpease]

Bill Bliss yes, I'm not crazy. Thank hood

[@Coinpease]

God*

[@mackenziewolfe5009]

Where is the AC soundtrack because i have watched the thing 50 times and i haven't heard anything

[@cynic5537]

@@mackenziewolfe5009 starting with 4:55

[@angeloflove37]

It's that theme that plays when you walk around the streets of Florence.

[@dcllaw677]

Machiavelli Did not invent the ideas in his book. He simply observe what the successful rulers did, and described it in his book advising the reader to follow the example of successful leaders.

[@thelinedrive]

So a political scientist.

[@artofthepossible7329]

@@thelinedrive Yes.

[@maxis2k]

Usually the one who popularizes it through a novel or play or movie gets the credit. Even though almost all writing is compiling various ideas from others together. That's why media is influential.

[@randomuser6175]

Did he say Machiavelli invented those ideas at some point in the video?

[@makky6239]

"Historia magistra vitae est"

[@john4845]

People who only know WW1/WW2: Wait, Italy is switching sides? Renaissance Italy: always has been

[@RestitutorEuropa]

I like how casually he says “Pretty soon they hugged it out and then they both *died* .”

[@PoseidonXIII]

What about the Rousseau interpretation that the "Prince" is a satire by Machiavelli to show that monarchy only brings out the worst in its rulers and that republics were where it was at?

[@JackRackam]

+PoseidonXIII Also an interesting interpretation! I probably should have mentioned that

[@PoseidonXIII]

Thanks! I had an awesome history professor you taught me that and it's made me doubt everything I thought I knew about Machiavelli. Course she really liked Rousseau, making her a bit biased I guess, but it checks out with the historical context. But almost everyone who talks about Machiavelli and reads the prince now don't seem to see it that way which makes me just more confused.

[@michaeljohnangel6359]

Good point, Poseidon! La Mandragola is satyrical; so, it would make sense that M's book is too.

[@michaeljohnangel6359]

@@spanoza Lads, ya pays ya money and ya takes ya pick!!!! Maybe they're all correct. I'm sure you know this line from Walt Whitman, "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself. I am large; I contain multitudes."

[@5turmundDrang]

While the mandragola surely was a satire, I would avoid to give interpretations to the prince. Here in Italy the results were disastrous ( Mussolini commented one of the book edition in the 30's) or misleading( Gramsci tried to follow Rousseau's path) .

[@nicolaeanton1117]

And he helped Ezio kill the Templars

[@TheHelghast1138]

Yep. With Leonardo Davinci's help :-)

[@ВасилийБезкоровайный-в8з]

Funny, in game Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader assassins tried to kill him.

[@wondertome2023]

@@ВасилийБезкоровайный-в8зLa Volpe tried to assassinate Machie boy in AC2 as well

[@atticusrussel3485]

@@TheHelghast1138 da vinki?

[@enderdd2063]

he should make a video on ceasare borgia

[@enderdd2063]

yup

[@alienguy-kazmikompany1286]

@@enderdd2063 forgot to switch accounts?

[@sckova]

Nicky Machiavelli, let me tell you what he said; you wanna use the reins of power? First you gotta use your head. A Bronx Tale musical

[@artemisprime4648]

Deep

[@Brandonhayhew]

Machiavelli is he really the inspiration for Littlefinger of Game of Thrones.

[@michaeljohnangel6359]

Jack Rackam, I love your videos (and those of Red and Blue), and I watch them over and over again. Please, keep 'em coming!!!!!

[@JackRackam]

New videos are on the way! Slowly, mind you, but they'll be here!

[@zintosion]

3:52 You know who you are are. Me: *Starts Sweating*

[@CB0408]

If you want to read Machiavelli, go for the Discourses. The prince is everywhere already, and the Discourses is a magnificent book about people, statecraft, institutions, and history

[@biffyqueen]

Reading a book about Leonardo Da Vinci and learned that he and Machiavelli spent the winter of 1502-03 in Cesare Borgia’s town of Imola. Bet that was tense

[@Real_SkyRipper]

"Italy Belgium" i understood that reference!!! hahaha.

[@MrTheBaron]

Dude, I like your style! You have that Gilliam-esque style that can be hard to nail. I approve!

[@JackRackam]

Thanks, man!

[@abinjjaimon]

Ah the good old AC 2-Brotherhood days. Good gimes

[@Starfloofle]

it all went to shit after they killed off Desmond :c

[@thenewcaesar2668]

Yes blue!

[@mr.t758]

Bought “The Prince” this month and this is the first video I see in my recommended today.

[@NatalieJ22]

“So you have no excuses not to read it. You know who you are” Me: * knowing I skimmed through the prince when it was assigned for one of my college classes * “idk what you’re talking about jack 😬”

[@shaggythewriter8185]

Jack stacking racks has me watching all these while I'm lightweight sick because it's so damn entertaining

[@WildBillCox13]

And well composed and equally well delivered. I enjoyed it and was edified.

[@juliannabarto4464]

I’d die for a video on the Demedici family

[@Pikkabuu]

You guys underplayed just how much Machiavelli loved the Ancient Rome. At home he used to recite speeches of Roman senators while wearing a toga....

[@ToyotaPrius-dx5uu]

Gets done watching osp, finds a random video *is still watching osp*

[@jokehu7115]

Oh Yes best history Channel On KZbin

[@Maxim89Il]

I think he wrote The Prince as a sarcastic criticism. Nobody openly says, "Be corrupt!" The advice he was giving was what everyone was already doing.

[@TomahawkTimebomb]

Quality work, as usual.

[@SonKunSama]

If you read Machiavelli's "The Prince" and your conclusion is that he advocates ruling in a way that is full of schemes and backstaberry, you've interpreted it entirely wrong. He writes about how to be an effective ruler in 15th/16th century Italy, bearing first witness to the chaotic political climate then. He perfectly analysed how Florence and other states were being led, and basically sums up traits and points of interest which a successful ruler has to have in order to manage a prosperous state there and then. That it does involve a lot of plotting and lying is a necessity, not an ideal.

[@SonKunSama]

Okay nevermind, I didn't see the last 10 seconds. I'm still not going to delete that comment because it took me like 5 minutes.

[@Account.for.Comment]

I ' ve always had more of a feeling that the book is a ruse or an exposure by satire. Some of Machiavelli advice seemed destructive to the lords who used it, like abandoning mercenaries and relied on the subjects. Cesare Borgia is a failed prince-wanna-be, why emulate a loser?

[@AgnusCavichioliPereira]

Oh yeah, I got that ACII reference I was expecting.

[@EyeLean5280]

Most of the renaissance humanists loved ancient Rome more than the people around them.

[@michelveilleux1275]

Never in my life, had I ever heard the phrase "Screw the Pope. Kick his ass!" And never have I smiled so hard when hearing it.

[@verysadjake]

Every couple of years I have this history nerd phase, and everytime man, I end up back here XD

[@ReallyAnnoyingThing1]

Another beautiful video

[@lustashh]

This is literally my favorite story/drama in EU history

[@druppy_bappo1301]

7:07 Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see and few can feel. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are.

[@Nova7o9]

Small “feet.” 🤣 I love the fast puns.

[@rDnhey]

This is my fav channel! Thank u! I see much effort and many details into it. And yeah I'm Italian lol Continua così!

[@brendanrivers4737]

Love the little nod to Red at the end. 😂

[@TopShelfFandomVids]

Loving it brother !! Keep it up

[@brokenbridge6316]

This video made me reconsider this guy. Nice job. Funny video.

[@unitedhistory7795]

Regards of me having taken Art History and learning about what was going on in Florence Italy I completely forgot it until now. Thank you Hurry yay !!!

[@onetwothree9]

Wait, I thought the Prince was a satire about what a good ruler ought not to do...

[@JackRackam]

That's one interpretation, yes

[@thatoneguy7191]

1:46 This hits hard as a Belgian 😭😂

[@maxdembroski7956]

3:31-3:37 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 Never have truer words been spoken.

[@Sunny-ld4nn]

Totally subtle Assassin's Creed II music in the background

[@sarah3796]

I loved this thank you

[@ancalyme]

I'm reading The House of Niccolo now and watching this video felt like spoilers lol

[@1dragoncat]

Jack Rackam: "For once, a small book has a big impact on world history" The Communist Manifesto: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@JackRackam]

I've never read the Communist Manifesto and, alas, unaware of its length

[@punkwrestle]

Alvi Syahri Because it has show to be such a complete and utter failure?

[@punkwrestle]

Alvi Syahri Technicality neither one was an actual Communist Country, both were dictatorships, under communism, the community would rule the country and decisions would come from the community, not from dictators. The trouble is for that to work everyone must be altruistic and do things for the good of the community instead of the good of the self. Every time a real communist society(usually 30-40 people) was created it failed. People haven’t evolved into a state where they care more for society than they do for themselves. Think of how many people in the US were just protesting against the stay at home orders. Not one of them showed any concern for people with weakened immune systems. Until that mentality changes communism can never work.

[@dariobarboni9276]

@Alvi Syahri Since it existed China has been a dictatorship . Now they say they are communist but nothing really has changed . Simply now communism is the new "dinasty" . China has surely incorporated something from communism , but not a lot.

[@iannordin5250]

If you notice, the majority of the advice presented in the Prince stresses good statesmanship and avoiding similar blunders and unrealistic expectations while keeping the citizenry happy, safe, and relatively corruption-free. Most of the advice is shockingly reasonable, albeit presented bluntly and cynically. In fact, the only reason why it was so maligned by history was that it addressed the real-world realities of ruling and did not give advice based on the accepted Christian idealism of the inherent virtues of the nobility that was considered proper to discuss at the time. His sin was essentially breaking the enforced illusion of the God-guided overclass among the common folk and exposing politics for what it was. people who call the book satire misunderstand Machiavelli's earnest intent of ensuring that the new ruling class will be good for Florence and not lead the country into incompetent and decedent chaos

[@snakey934Snakeybakey]

2:50 that's pretty much the summery of French History.

[@stefanatliorvaldsson3563]

great video

[@denisp8432]

You have a great youtube channel and so continue

[@frinkanoid]

Chillin like a Machiavillain

[@SlapstickGenius23]

Machiavelli’s books were quite fair for their day because the time they were made in was DARK as Fk.

[@BradyPostma]

So, _The Prince_ was published in 1532 (1527 + 5 years later) and Hobbes' _Leviathan_ wasn't published until 1561, three decades later. That's crazy! Every time I think something is crazy old, so it must be the first, nope, there's something older and first-er. This is very American of be to be shocked that history goes all the way back to the early 1500s. But really, I'm just a little fascinated at the beginnings of the Age of Enlightenment. I should probably learn something about Francis Bacon next...

[@adolfhitlerssingleballsack7682]

Wow cool

[@darthcheney7447]

Machiavelli's "History of Florence" is pretty good as well.

[@PureAFM]

Nice total war sound track at the end there.

[@ekesa07632]

At 6:26 you used that Assassins Creed soundtrack :^) Am I the only one who noticed?

[@willsduh2219]

so good

[@therongjr]

So, uh . . . yeah! 💕

[@alexhatfield4448]

I too love ancient rome more then most people.

[@kenstr321]

4:48 the correct response is "peg leg".

[@archenema6792]

Glad to see someone has better reading comprehension skills than Frederick the Great. Nice video.

[@archenema6792]

Oops, I commented too soon, At 3:43, you tell a real whopper of a lie. Machiavelli didn't sit down and write the Prince, it was merely a synopsized version of the parts of The Discourses on the First Ten Books of the Histories of Titus Livius that focused on the positive elements and potential pitfalls of monarchy, with enhancements designed specifically to stroke Lorenzo's ego. Pretty obvious fail there.

[@JorgePicco]

I love crossovers.

[@nickzardiashvili624]

Small feet and a Lass killed me.

[@punkwrestle]

If Machiavelli prized a stable Republic, why would he like Italy in its current state where it is anything but stable?

[@cgt3704]

Yeah. This is what happens when you wish something and that wish has gone wrong

[@darkside9020]

I'll get around to it!

[@sophiaageitos2763]

I’ve actually read “The Prince”

[@mackenziewolfe5009]

You have to do Alkibiades

[@SeoulMan]

7:18 What's this? Jack, YOU killed Machiavelli?!

[@user-gi4qk7qm3t]

I only know why this guy exists because of Assassin’s creed 2.

[@Loratorafromkelowna]

you are so good. Do you write your stuff?

[@jbtechcon7434]

"The Prince" is a how-to not a you-should.

[@LibertyMonk]

Dang. He really wrapped things up 10 seconds after Blue, then stole OSP's tagline.

[@WILLPORKER]

Although he might have thought it was necessary, He still advocated for a dictatorship. There was no way italy could have been united and turned into a republic like he might have thought.

[@andiebrown7792]

TBH kinda don't see why half the video was someone else's video. Anyway love the content of the show, just wish they would be more than once a month and so short.

[@JackRackam]

+Andrew Brown Unfortunately five minutes of video a month is about all I can handle at the moment, even though I'd love to make more. In this case, I knew I wasn't going to get to talk about the Prince without cutting a serious portion of the rest of the video, so I asked Blue for help, since chances are I would've been using his video for the bulk of my research anyway. His format is a lot longer, hence the length in this video, but perhaps it was an awkward balance to have a guest talk for half as long as the main video. I just assumed that more content wouldn't hurt.

[@andiebrown7792]

Jack Rackam Wow I didn't actually expect a reply, I wanna say your content is great and I love your video style and the comedy is always funny. Thanks for the reply and hope you continue the great work. P.S if you'd ever like to have someone to work with I'm willing to help and have some experience in video editing and photoshop and have a love for history

[@JackRackam]

+Andrew Brown Thanks a lot! Fortunately my channel's still relatively small and the KZbin Studio app sorts the comments on all my videos by recency, so I get to read them all :). I don't think I'm ready to bring anyone else on board to help me make videos yet, but I'll remember the offer. Cheers!

[@michaeljohnangel6359]

@@JackRackam I thought that including Blue was a brilliant idea!

[@stonebrix168]

5:00 Assassins creed music assassins creed music

[@adamb2216]

I note the Assaasins Creed 2 music

[@12vscience]

nice

[@Coinpease]

Anyone else notice the ambient music from assassin's creed from overly sarcastic? No? Just me?

[@JackRackam]

+Zane Huseth He's a big fan of AC

[@ekesa07632]

Zane Huseth it’s extremely charming to have sudden nostalgia appear like this though!

[@batataacelerada4698]

Machiavelli sounds a lot like the Portuguese word Maquiavélico, which means someone who negates morale laws, which probably came from this guy

[@KIJIKLIPS]

Wait is that ac music??

[@sirsytham1588]

Yes

[@mortemcor3131]

BLUEEEE

[@Jojothegodofrandom]

Overly Sarcastic Productions would put teen anime eyes on an old man

[@wobba4436]

You should do otto von bismarch!

[@d.m.collins1501]

What is that flag at 1:55?

[@JackRackam]

It's from Star Wars, either the Galactic Republic from the prequels or the republic set up by the rebels

[@mauriciocastro7124]

I hope you do a collaboration with Feature History.

[@JackRackam]

+Mauricio Castro I have, actually! We didn't appear in each other's videos, but my video on Tokugawa Ieyasu was made as a compliment to his video on the Meiji Restoration.

[@mauriciocastro7124]

Jack Rackam it was a great video

[@leolinguini260]

Did he say Machiavillain?

[@history.mp4993]

How do you make your videos?

[@JackRackam]

+John Grayson Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, and a whole lot of Google Images

[@AmbroseBoaBowie]

Didn’t Extzo the assassin kill That one guy?

[@mediocremaiden8883]

Machiavelli wasnt being flattering when he wrote 'The Prince' he was being completely facetious amd sarcastic.

[@emperorbartu2414]

6:18 - 6:22 i thought we all think likke that

[@Unbottled.Water23]

He was also an assassin along with some Florentine noblemen with the name of Auditore da Firenze