The Prince Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter 4 Summary

One may wonder how Alexander the Great's successors kept Darius' Asiatic lands after Alexander's death. The answer lies in how it was ruled. There are two ways to rule a territory. Either the prince rules alone, using his servants as ministers, or the prince uses barons who rule by right of inheritance. The prince who rules through his servants has great authority because the people will only recognize him as ruler. This is how the Kingdom of Turkey is governed.

A prince who rules through barons has less authority because he cannot deprive his nobles of their titles or privileges without some risk to himself. The people who serve the barons feel a natural affection for them and regard them as their rightful lords. This is how the Kingdom of France is ruled.

One will note that while the Kingdom of Turkey would be difficult to conquer, it would be...
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