Machiavelli: On the growth of Spanish power and Ferdinand's policy of ethnic cleansingHere Machiavelli, a political thinker of great renown, entered the hall of people. It was surely an opportunity to meet and question the man some historians call “Old Nick”. After the publication of The Prince, Machiavelli was so hated that his name became synonymous with the Devil. Indeed, some of us call him a total pervert, a scandalous liar, a supporter of totalitarianism, an angel of death. But who am I to judge? Why do we consider him a great thinker if not for his “controversial” ideas? But he himself admitted that dying for a “miserable” divine cause was worse than being in hell. One day he dreamed of being in the company of poorly dressed men – souls destined for heaven. At the other end of the aisle, he saw a group of darkly dressed men – men courageously discussing war and politics. The group included Cicero, Plutarch, Aristotle and Plato. Machiavelli asked them where they were going. The men said, “to hell with it.” And of course, Machiavelli proudly declared that he would be much happier to be damned, where he could freely discuss politics with these men, rather than languish in boredom among the blessed and saved. Before I could approach Machiavelli, King Ferdinand of Spain entered the hall. The Holy Roman Emperor kissed him and everyone in the room returned the honor bestowed upon a monarch. Ferdinand and Isabella were often called the "Catholic Kings" for their staunch defense of Catholicism in their domains. Both men are credited with expelling the Moors from Spain and financing Christopher Columbus's voyages to the New World. It was truly a sight to behold. As Machiavelli was in the middle of paper......to not command respect or reverence from your subjects. You did not come to me because you were looking for advice on the "best" way to govern your kingdom and maintain Spanish rule in the Americas. You came to me to know for sure whether what you did was for the good of the kingdom.Ferdinand: [smiles] Truly, I thank you for your services.And Ferdinand walked down the aisle. He was finally at peace with himself. He waved and smiled at the crowd. The new prince was certainly in a cheerful mood. Works Cited By Alvarez, Leo Paul. The Machiavellian enterprise: a commentary on “The Prince”. Illinois: Northern Illinois University Press, 2008. Print. Edwards, John. Spain of the Catholic Monarchs 1474-1520. New York: Blackwell Publishers Inc., 2000. Print. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991. Print.