Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat and political philosopher born in 1469 who is best known for his work "The Prince". While originally intended to advise Italian rulers, "The Prince" came to be seen as advocating for immoral means to achieve political ends, known as Machiavellianism. Machiavelli's political thought had significant influence across Europe over subsequent centuries, with various countries and thinkers interpreting and applying his philosophies in different ways.