028. Borgias
[text]
Niccolo Machiavelli, a politician and writer from about 500 years ago, tells of a tactic used to quell opposition in a recently-conquered territory:
Cesare Borgia was embroiled in a war of territorial acquisition, on multiple fronts. His enemies, having their own quarrels with each other, had not yet united to push him back. But the time would come, and Borgia knew that he had to cement his rule in his new possessions as quickly as possible. So in the region of Romagna, not at all friendly to its new ruler, he appointed Ramiro de Lorqua as governor.
Machiavelli describes de Lorqua as "swift and cruel," and the new governor quickly restored order. Borgia realized, however, that leaving de Lorqua in charge would rapidly breed resentment and therefore rebellion. He saw the chance to solve two of his problems at once: He declared ignorance of de Lorqua's actions and put him on trial.
The verdict was never in doubt, and after de Lorqua was very publicly executed, Borgia found himself with a populace satisfied in their vengeance, convinced that he himself was innocent in the matter of Romagna's misrule, and conditioned to judge Borgia's own brutalities by the standards of de Lorqua's worse ones.
When the story is generalized as a lesson in statecraft, Borgia is usually called "the General," and de Lorqua "the Commander."
If you want to read about it for yourself, I'm sure the library has a copy of The Prince. Machiavelli's Art of War is also worth reading.
Niccolo Machiavelli, a politician and writer from about 500 years ago, tells of a tactic used to quell opposition in a recently-conquered territory:
Cesare Borgia was embroiled in a war of territorial acquisition, on multiple fronts. His enemies, having their own quarrels with each other, had not yet united to push him back. But the time would come, and Borgia knew that he had to cement his rule in his new possessions as quickly as possible. So in the region of Romagna, not at all friendly to its new ruler, he appointed Ramiro de Lorqua as governor.
Machiavelli describes de Lorqua as "swift and cruel," and the new governor quickly restored order. Borgia realized, however, that leaving de Lorqua in charge would rapidly breed resentment and therefore rebellion. He saw the chance to solve two of his problems at once: He declared ignorance of de Lorqua's actions and put him on trial.
The verdict was never in doubt, and after de Lorqua was very publicly executed, Borgia found himself with a populace satisfied in their vengeance, convinced that he himself was innocent in the matter of Romagna's misrule, and conditioned to judge Borgia's own brutalities by the standards of de Lorqua's worse ones.
When the story is generalized as a lesson in statecraft, Borgia is usually called "the General," and de Lorqua "the Commander."
If you want to read about it for yourself, I'm sure the library has a copy of The Prince. Machiavelli's Art of War is also worth reading.