Capítulos XII-XIV
This section consists of chapters devoted to the militia; addresses from the configuration and nature of the armies, to the duties that a prince has to its military forces. Chapter XII classifies the various militias and points out the danger of mercenary soldiers. Machiavelli classified principalities troops in four ways: own, mercenaries, auxiliaries, or mixed. The mercenaries and auxiliaries should be considered useless because although external support can be an advantage, it is certain that affect the strength of the kingdom instead of helping, in this sense, the mercenaries are disloyal, ambitious and without discipline, so they only fight for their own benefit, the auxiliary troops finally obey another realm.
A principality (and also a republic) must have a maximum whose own militia captain is the prince himself, that inject value to men in the battlefield, while equip virtues and love of the people to the ruler. In this chapter and throughout the section, Machiavelli looks their knowledge of the military administration of the State; combining his experience with his vast knowledge of the history of warfare in Europe, the Florentine writer authoritatively advised not to follow the example of the captains who allowed the looting and insult of Italy.
In Chapter XIII, Machiavelli extends the features and the advantages and disadvantages of the auxiliaries, and mixed themselves. However, this section seems to be more an excuse to praise Caesar Borgia again, it tells how the Duke cunning allowed him to use and exploit the best of each type of warfare, controlling the right time to use them and disposing of them before unfortunately caused him. Discover...
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