Military treatises have long fascinated readers, even those who are not professional military men, and people in other fields have long sought to apply the lessons learned in military treatises to other walks of life. Among the worlds military treatises, without question two of the most famous and influential are Sun Tzus The Art of War and Carl von Clausewitzs On War, written over 2,000 years apart but containing similar and useful advice for readers, and still staples of literature for people who serve in the armed forces. Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence on May 3, 1469, as Florence was undergoing its transition into the Renaissance, guided by the Medicis. Machiavelli was a public servant during the Republic, losing his office when the Medicis returned to power. Despite that, Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to the ruling Medici of the time, leading some today to still speculate whether the book was a satire. Regardless, it remains one of the most influential political philosophies of history.