Religion and Theology

No institution is firm or lasting if it rests on mans strength alone. History and reason combine to show that the roots of all great institutions are to be found outside this world...Sovereignties, in particular HYPERLINK httpads.associatedcontent.comwwwdeliveryck.phpna14de4a9cb988694262 t _blank possess strength, unity, stability, only to the degree to which they are sanctified by religion.
Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
Introduction

This book, as well as its author needs no further introduction. It has been one of the most controversial books during its time, up until the present. It is some sort of manual for power, as much looked up to, as another book The Art of War by Sun Tzu. It speaks of how power can be seized, wielded, grabbed, utilized and maintained, in order to successfully lead a state, a nation, a kingdom or even the world for that matter, without heed perhaps for costs or values. Niccolo Machiavelli was considered as a heartless, tyrannical and unprincipled philosophical strategist. In light of the controversy of hi work, many thinkers tried to look into the reality of his work, if it be plain historical, fictional or instructional. With much speculation regarding the work, there are attempts to study the book in light of realistic perspectives, such as Machiavellis life, allegiances and motives. With this, it is arguably considered a satirical work, where the real intent and message of the book is the opposite of what is really written. This consideration and discussion however, is perhaps best reserved for another day. This paper seeks to answer how, in the book The Prince, Machiavelli looks at the powers of the Renaissance Popes, and the dominion of the Catholic Church, as it is written in the text of the book.

Virtu and Fortuna
According to Machiavelli, in order for a prince to be successful, he needs a combination of virtu and fortuna.  Virtu is interpreted to be skill or ability, from which the term virtuoso is to have come from. The prince needs to be skillful and has to have the proper ability for leadership. Fortuna on the other hand is considered as luck or chance, which is somewhat arbitrary, but the able prince should be capable of creating or manipulating such chances. In Chapter XI, Machiavelli discusses and considers Ecclesiastical principalities as a special kind of Principality.

Although it seems contradictory to his earlier views, he sees these principalities as extraordinary and special because according to him, such is an ideal principality, since rulers of these, such as the popes need not much to do anything to maintain such principalities. He also contends that the people under these principalities are less likely to want to get rid or destroy them since the people are already accustomed to obeying religious orders, and honor customs and traditions, much more than political or civil laws. The powers inherent in these customs are time honored and the pope does not have to do much anything to maintain obedience.

He also adds that leaders of such ecclesiastical principalities need not defend them at all, since no one would ever dare to attack a holy state. He further adds that these are the only states that can be considered as truly secure in the fact that these are maintained by God himself, and did not want to discuss them any further because he thinks it is presumptuous and foolish. Instead, he launches into a historical discussion of how the Catholic Church gained power and opulence. He named Pope Alexander the VI, Cesare Borgia, Pope Julius, among the movers a political master tacticians of the Catholic Church, and ends with praise for Pope Leo X, conjecturing that since the church has already amassed considerable power and wealth, then the current pontiff can add goodness as a nice touch so the papacy would be great and venerated.

Although it is ironic that Machiavelli seems to have extolled the Catholic Church in this chapter, while elsewhere, he pays no heed to religion, divine destiny or morals in fact, it must be seen as a tongue-in-cheek commentary. In fact, what he wrote is still in defiance of the teachings of the Church, as he only considers religion as a tool, in keeping with his view that the ends justify the means. Religion should be nothing more than a tool. More over, this chapter seems to be a blatant statement that the Catholic Church is successful because it is God himself, and thats that  end of discussion. It also sends out a strong message that perhaps, if you are aspiring to be a great prince or leader, then - 1.) Leave off the Catholic Church and do not deal with it in any way, as you are bound to loose, whether for or against them, and 2.) If one can gain considerable opulence then it should be by way of reflecting or mirroring the ways of the church in order to create another GOD state that people will bow down before and respect, acknowledge, obey and defend.