Richard The Third Is Not A Machiavellian King

Machiavelli wrote a guide of advice to kings about how to effectively rule. Many rulers have successfully followed his advice. Others have not. While Richard the third was Machiavellian in some ways, many of the things he did Machiavelli would not have condoned of. This is especially the case with regards to his attempts to win the people's goodwill. Richard the Third had not done this and ultimately paid the price. Richard the Third was not a Machiavellian king.

On the surface, Richard may appear somewhat Machiavellian. The Prince states that “since a ruler needs to know how to make good use of all beastly qualities, he should take as his models among the animals both the fox and the lion, for the lion does not know how to avoid traps, and
Machiavelli maintains “that it is much easier to hold on to hereditary states, which are accustomed to being governed by the family that rules them, then it is to hold on to new acquisitions. For indeed an hereditary ruler, if he is of no more than normal resourcefulness, will never lose his state unless some extraordinary and overwhelming force appears that can take it away from him” (Machiavelli 7) Richard the third, however, was constantly seeking out to purchase new land, looking for grants, or looking to exchanging his land for others. (Saul
Instead of, so to speak, committing his atrocities all in one stroke, he had allowed four to five weeks pass from the arrest of Lord Rivers, during which the public calmed down, before executing lord Hastings on a different trumped up treason charge. (Saul 74-75) Machiavelli goes on to say that “Those who use cruelty well may indeed find both God and their subjects are prepared to let bygones be bygones.” and that “Those who abuse it cannot hope to retain power indefinitely. (Machiavelli