Niccolo began his political career in the government of Florence as a secretary. However, it was not long before his political acumen was recognized and he was soon engaged in more demanding diplomatic missions. These diplomatic missions were the vehicles that would put Machiavelli in contact with the Pope, kings of nations, and notorious princes of state like Caesar Borgia.

At the seeming height of Niccolo's political career, the Medici family returned to power and the Florentine republic was overthrown. Machiavelli soon found himself tortured and removed from office. Extremely eager to return to the political arena under the new rulers, he devised a plan. In an attempt to curry favor, he wrote a book outlining what he thought were the Medici goals and dedicated it to them. The book, of course, was The Prince.

Unfortunately, Machiavelli's ability to read the Medici goals seems to have been far less apt than his political theorizing. The Medici disliked his book and he remained an out-of-favor politician. Eventually, with years of persistence Niccolo was able to gain the political favor he sought and again served in office for the final two years of his life. The Prince was first published widely in 1532, five years after his death.

Political reference materials
Politics has shaped nearly every aspect of the world as we know it. Whether politics takes shape in the form of presidential elections, philosophical treatises, or partisan bickering, information on the subject can easily be found in Palm format. For example, many great historical documents are dramatic political statements of their day. The Gettysburg Address, the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Arbroath, and the Irish Declaration of Independence are but a few of the many historical documents available in DOC format.

One political document that has had a profound effect on the world's history is "The Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Written in 1848, this work is one of the foundations of communist theory, and continues to have a significant influence on the social sciences as well as global politics.

If you're looking for more pragmatic information that may help you win the Jeopardy Daily Double, then you won't want to miss the many lists of political persons available for the PalmPilot. Examples of these factual documents include lists of all the American presidents, kings of Scotland from 843 AD forward, British kings and queens from 802 AD, a database of past and present UK prime ministers, and even databases of all US senators and members of the House of Representatives.

Finally, if you desire more recent documentation of politics in action, check out the last several years of the U.S. presidential State of the Union addresses. Or, if that's just too bland for your palate, download everything your heart desires regarding the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal (covered more completely in last month's column). While not exactly a shining moment in political history, these documents provide amazing depth into a rather complex and politically charged situation.