The Renaissance’s Own Alternative to Machiavelli
- Jun 22
- 1 min read
Francesco Patrizi of Siena (1413-1494) was the most important political philosopher in the tradition of humanist virtue politics as well as a fine Latin poet (click here for an overview of his ideas). His short letter-treatise on How To Be a Good Magistrate (De gerendo magistratu) offers a striking contrast with Machiavelli’s approach to the exercise of political power.
Patrizi in fact had far more practical experience in government than did Machiavelli. Patrizi held various high offices in his native city of Siena, including several terms as prior (a member of the city’s highest executive board). He also served as a senator, provincial governor, and ambassador. For a number of years he lectured as a professor of rhetoric at the University of Siena. In those years he also served as private tutor to Achille Petrucci (c. 1427-1499), the son of Antonio Petrucci, the latter being a powerful figure in Sienese government. Achille himself was a future leader of the Petrucci clan that dominated Siena in the second half of the quattrocento. Machiavelli admired Achille’s nephew Pandolfo Petrucci, the lord of Siena from 1497 to his death in 1512, mentioning him twice in The Prince (chapters 20 and 22).
The letter-treatise, addressed to Achille, was Patrizi’s first work on politics…