A comprehensive exploration of Machiavelli's life and thought – covering everything from his preoccupation with truth, fortune, and power, to his frequently bawdy poetry, love affairs, and friendships.Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what Machiavelli really believed – and why he matters so much today.Who was Niccolo Machiavelli and why should we consider him relevant to the problems and vexations of the modern world? Ste...

Who were the shadow agents of Renaissance war? In this pioneering collection of essays scholars use new archival evidence and other sources, including literature, artworks, and other non-textual material, to uncover those men, women, children and other animals who sustained war by means of their preparatory, auxiliary, infrastructural, or supplementary labour. These shadow agents worked in the zone between visibility and invisibility, often moving between civilians and soldiers, and their ...