The Auron MacIntyre Show Machiavelli on Governing the Conquered | 2/18/26
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Feb 18, 2026 A deep dive into methods for holding conquered lands, from replacing local power structures to direct occupation. A comparison of centralized versus baronial governance and why some conquests endure while others ignite rebellion. A discussion of armed founders versus unarmed reformers and how partial reforms can provoke entrenched resistance.
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Don't Empower Future Rivals
- Causing another power to grow usually invites your own ruin because beneficiaries become rivals.
- Strength you create in others highlights your skill and turns them into future threats.
Centralized Rule Is Easy To Hold Or Lose
- States governed through appointed ministers are easier to hold after conquest than those with entrenched hereditary nobles.
- But centralized states collapse entirely if the ruler is defeated because no alternate power centers remain.
Time Erases Local Loyalties
- Erase local loyalties over time and former subjects forget their old identities, making rule stable.
- Long-term occupation converts provinces into reliable supporters even through internal turmoil.
