The Prince

Auxiliary soldiers are troops who are called in to aid and defend a principality to which they do not belong. Typically, these are soldiers that a prince borrows from another ruler. They differ from mercenary troops in that they are united, more competent, and yield obedience to another ruler. Machiavelli warns strongly against their use because doing so puts a prince in the power of another ruler.

A civil principality is one in which a private citizen rises to prince through the favor of his fellow citizens. One can become prince through the favor of the people or the favor of the nobles, the two competing classes present in every city. 

Ecclesiastical principalities are those which are sustained by the ancient ordinances of religion. According to Machiavelli, these states can be held easily regardless of how a prince behaves or lives because they do not need to be defended and the people do not need to be ruled. 

A hereditary principality is one in which a ruling family has been long established. Machiavelli points out that these states are typically easier to maintain because the people are accustomed to the family of the prince. A hereditary prince can easily hold the state as long as extraordinary vices do not cause him to be hated. 

Mercenary soldiers are troops who are paid to aid and defend a principality. They differ from auxiliary troops in that they are not united under one specific ruler. Machiavelli warns strongly against their use because they are not trustworthy. 

New principalities can take two forms: They are either entirely new or they are newly-annexed territories added to an existing principality. Entirely new principalities are those that have been conquered and taken over.

An oligarchy is a system of governance in which power is held by a small number of people. Machiavelli suggests that when a former republic is conquered and annexed to a principality, the new prince should eliminate its current leadership and establish an oligarchy which will be friendly toward him.