History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy is an historical account by Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527). Toward the end of 1520, the Cardinal Giulio of Medici, later Pope Clement VII, offered Machiavelli the appointment to write a history of Florence. Although Machiavelli was reluctant to accept, accepting was at that time his only possible way to regain the good graces of the Medici. Doing the history also provided a way for Machiavelli’s views to become the “official” history of Florentine and Italian affairs. Once completed, the work was presented officially to Giulio, now Pope, in May of 1526. The translator is unknown, but the copyright has been cleared by Wikipedia. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Karen Merline.)