Translated from the Italian by Galina Muravyova . Niccol Machiavelli devoted part of his life to public service. His experience and observation of the methods of management of politicians became the basis of the treatise "The Sovereign", known today throughout the world. Machiavelli in it acted as a supporter of a strong power, for the sake of strengthening which he allowed both cunning, and betrayal, and violence. Of course, this caused conflicting opinions, and the Catholic Church included his work in the lists of banned books. Nevertheless, the ideas of this historian and philosopher about the methods of management, about the ways of obtaining power, about what qualities a ruler should have and on what the success of his reforms depends, have found their application in the field of politics and are relevant to this day. The book also includes a work "On the art of war", in which the author, not being a military man and acquiring his knowledge in theory, expressed so deep ideas that they covered the most different aspects of human life. Machiavelli's works are so aphoristic that they have long diverged into quotations that we often pronounce, without even knowing who their author is. The texts of this edition are provided with detailed comments and explanations.