Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance political philosopher, historian, and writer. He is best known for his influential work "The Prince," which explores the nature of power and the strategies rulers should employ to maintain control. Machiavelli's ideas often emphasize the pragmatic and realistic aspects of politics, leading to the term "Machiavellian" being used to describe cunning and deceitful behavior in politics. His writings have had a lasting impact on political thought and continue to be studied and debated to this day.