Julius II Shocked Even Machiavelli

Pope Julius II gained a reputation for bold, often reckless actions that went unpunished. On one occasion, he entered the fortified city of Perugia unarmed. Despite having an army, the local ruler surrendered and fled in fear. The result shocked political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli, who later suggested that someone should have simply killed the pope to stop his unchecked power.

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