Niccolò Machiavelli was born #onthisday in 1469. He was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Renaissance. He is best known for his political treatise The Prince, written about 1513. He has often been called the father of modern political philosophy and political science.  Lots of memorable quotations (none of them pleasant) of which this is my favourite:

“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”