The Prince, Chapter 13 summary
Chapter 13 of 28 · 5 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 13, the speaker argues that auxiliary troops endanger the ruler who requests them, because defeat brings ruin and victory brings dependence on another commander. Examples of rulers changing their armies support a broader conclusion: a principality needs its own forces, and even mixed armies remain inferior to them.
What happens
- Pope Julius II requests Spanish assistance against Ferrara, but only unexpected Swiss intervention saves him from the dangers of dependence.
- Examples involving the Florentines and the Emperor of Constantinople show how foreign assistance exposes rulers to danger.
- The speaker judges auxiliaries more dangerous than mercenaries because they remain united under another ruler's command.
- Cesare Borgia and Hiero of Syracuse replace unreliable hired or foreign soldiers with their own forces.
- David's rejection of Saul's armor illustrates the limits of borrowed weapons, while French military changes illustrate dependence on the Swiss.
- The speaker links Roman decline to recruiting Goths and concludes that secure rule requires forces drawn from one's own people.
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In this chapter
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Why does the speaker consider auxiliaries especially dangerous?
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“The Prince, Chapter 13 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-13-summary.
Library of Alexandria. (2026). The Prince, Chapter 13 summary. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-13-summary
“The Prince, Chapter 13 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-13-summary.
@misc{the_prince_chapter_13_summary_2026,
title = {The Prince, Chapter 13 summary},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-13-summary}
}
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