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Niccolò Machiavelli was an immortal who appeared in the novel, Highlander: Measure of a Man. He claimed to be 2,000 years old but the Watchers believed him to be only a century older than his nemesis, Duncan MacLeod. He is based upon the historical figure of the same name.
History[]
Machiavelli grew up in an abusive family. Witnessing his mother too scared of his father to protect him from bullies saw him resolve never to love anyone. He made a name for himself in Florence in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, penning the philosophical work The Prince. In later years, he would be proud of the fact that his name was in the dictionary.
By 1655, Machiavelli was resident in Venice, having arrived there a year earlier pretending to be a namesake descendant of the original Machiavelli. He had set up an island over which he had complete control and surrounded himself with his "Beauties", immortals who he had given their first death, convincing them that he had made them immortal. He told them little or nothing of the Game, viewing them as pawns or sources of easy Quickenings and naming them after chess pieces. His right hand man, who he dubbed one of his Knights, was Ruffio Moncenigo, who Machiavelli had little respect for but who was fiercely loyal to him.
Machiavelli made the acquaintance of Duncan MacLeod and brought him to his haven, intending to make him his second knight. MacLeod accepted his hospitality but had no interest in joining the Beauties. Machiavelli began manipulating him by having one of his bishops, Jean-Pierre, one of two priests whose first death he had recently triggered, and the mortal Maria Angelina befriend him and convince him that Maria Angelina was the estranged wife of MacLeod's enemy Xavier St. Cloud, on the run from him. Machiavelli asked Duncan to burn down the house of his enemies, the Calegari, but, aware Duncan only agreed because he hoped to rescue his friend, Mustapha Ali, Machiavelli sent Ruffio to burn down the house and convinced MacLeod that St. Cloud had helped him. He also arranged for MacLeod to be tricked into attacking the ship of Ali's son Hassan, who was killed during the battle, meaning the Turks believed MacLeod had betrayed him.
Still playing every side, Machiavelli took the head of Jean-Pierre's friend Andre, had MacLeod kill Maria Angelina's real husband the Duke d'Fabrizi in front of witnesses and abandoned Maria Angelina to be tortured to death, then had Ali released. However, realizing MacLeod was his true friend, Ali ran Machiavelli through with his sword. Duncan and Ali used him as a hostage to get past Ruffio and the others, with Duncan vowing never to take Machiavelli's head. Ali agreed to the promise but, once Machiavelli revived, had him tortured, repeatedly beaten to death and abandoned in burning sand.
20th Century[]
Machiavelli dreamed of revenge on MacLeod as he resumed control of his Beauties. He continued to add to their number: In 1968, in San Francisco, he took in nascent immortal Sammi Jo Smith, later known as Samantha August, when she died of a drug overdose and made her his lover and queen. However, he had no affection for her, believing no-one could be sincere in loving him.
By 1996, Machiavelli was resident in Tokyo, using the name Nicky Macchio with those unaware of his nature. He learned from a corrupt US security agent, Alan Woodrich, of a computer program that would allow him control of any computer in the world and schemed to gain it. He also planned to put the far right politician Tony Beauchard as US president, under the influence of his Tong associate Ken Iwasawa.
Ken's sister Mari, a renegade Watcher, informed Machiavelli that her assignment Umeko Takahashi was trying to turn Samantha against him. Machiavelli took Umeko's head, having Mari assigned to him as his Watcher and lover, and had her, his loyal pupils Taro Honda and Ed, and mortal Satoshi Miyamoto start a conspiracy among his entourage to see who was loyal. He then had all the genuine conspirators killed except for Samantha, who he sent to the United States to lure MacLeod to him.
Machiavelli managed to get hold of both the software and hardware for the computer program but his plan to use Beauchard fell apart when Woodrich told him the whole story. As a result, Machiavelli had Beauchard and Ken killed, also having Ruffio kill Miyamoto and killing Mari himself. He sent Honda to confront MacLeod but MacLeod beheaded him. Machiavelli began testing his new program, including crash the plane on which Duncan's pupil Richie Ryan was traveling, killing some of the passengers. He took Samantha prisoner and ordered Ruffio to kill her.
MacLeod arrived in Tokyo and, confident he would keep his vow not to take his head, Machiavelli had him brought to his Buddhist temple base. However, he was so shocked when MacLeod lunged at him that he ran off holy ground, making him a viable target. MacLeod threw his sword to Samantha, allowing her to behead Ruffio and take her first Quickening. Machiavelli went for his sword but MacLeod instantly disarmed him and took his head.