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Travel back to 14th century Europe and enter the world of brutal politics and savvy trading as you attempt to build your empire through the acquisition of wealth and power. Along the way, you need to defeat rival factions, manipulate political and religious institutions through bribery, slander, and assassination. Machiavelli the Prince is set in a time of history when Venice, Italy, was the focus of world trade and expansion. Other nations banded together to try and control the threat posed by this powerful nation. Your main goal is to be the wealthiest trader in Venice at game's end through conquest, political maneuvering, and trade. The trade aspect requires you to explore the world, finding new trade routes and discovering valuable goods and commodities as you use the basic tenets of supply and demand to grow wealth. As you explore, you encounter various obstacles from natural catastrophes to enemies, such as pirates, rival cities, and stubborn rulers. Successful completion of your mission will require involvement at the base level with the Church of Rome and the political figures of the day. Bribery and slander will be but two of the tools used in manipulating your environment. Adjustable features offer flexibility in setting up each new game. If battling the elements appeals to you, set the parameters to increase the number of storms to encounter, or if intrigue and trade is your forte, increase the level of the game's AI. Choose randomly generated maps for a new exploration experience or historical maps to emulate the real 14th century world. Play against one opponent via modem or up to three computer-controlled or human opponents via hot seat or e-mail. Game length ranges from 15 to 192 years (bringing you up to 1492 -- Christopher Columbus' discovery of the new world). Other facets of the game include terrain movement points and modifiers, calamities such as The Plague, storms, pirates, the threat of excommunication, sieges, and The Reformation. There are more than a dozen units (military, civil, and guard) each with unique properties, like attack and defense strengths, purchase price, and upkeep costs. So, whether might, tactical prowess, deception, or a mercenary tendency is your bent, Machiavelli the Prince offers a chance to strut your stuff in 14th century Europe. Can you strategize your way to the top?