This guide is designed to tie in with the class assignment to write short biographical essays on historical figures referenced in Machiavelli's The Prince. The reference resources and books listed on this guide should provide sufficient information on major figures such as popes and monarchs. For more obscure figures, you may need to consult multiple books to piece together your profiles, or ask your instructor for assistance. For general research help, please take advantage of the reference services available to you in the Geisel Library. Stop by the Reference Desk in person or online at Ask a Librarian (see below).
Reference sources include encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries. They are a great place to begin your research, since they can help with the following:
These reference materials include profiles (varying in length) of many of the historical figures and places mentioned by Machiavelli. Consult the indexes at the back of each volume (or in the last volume of a multi-volume set) to find the page numbers on which a particular person is discussed. Some reference resources provide bibliographies at the ends of each entry, which may point you to additional books worth exploring.
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Encyclopedia of the Renaissance Great Popes Through History: An Encyclopedia |
