Not only did humanists write about the pagan religions of the classical era, but they also attacked the church for its corruption, such as in Valla's Of the Profession of Religious Life (Kekewich 161). "The Prince," written by Niccolo Machiavelli in 1513, was a great representation of the new ideas that surfaced within literature during the Renaissance. ... Machiavelli stressed the need to conquer new lands and for princes to maintain their power through any means necessary, using Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia, and Julius II as his primary examples. ... With respect and knowledge of the ac...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate