Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was an Italian writer, politician, diplomat, and philosopher based in Florence during the Renaissance. Little is known of his family origins, yet he seems to have received an excellent education.  He was prominent in public affairs, serving as Secretary to the Second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence for fourteen years during the years the Medici were out of power. He traveled extensively as a diplomat on behalf of Florence and built a reputation as an astute judge of people and institutions.  The Medici returned to power in 1512 and Machiavelli was wrongly accused of conspiracy, imprisoned and tortured for several weeks.  Upon his release he retired from public life to a farm outside Florence to undertake literary pursuits.  He wrote The Prince in late 1513, dedicating the work to Giuliano de Medici in hopes of regaining his status in the  Florentine government.   He produced plays, poetry, and other works, most notably the Discourses on the Ten Books of Titus Livy, his other major contribution to political thought.  He gradually returned to the favor of the Medici and was commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medeci to write a History of Florence, which he completed in 1525 and presented to the Cardinal, now Pope Clement VII.