Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli (between 1426 and 1429 – 1500) was a citizen of Florence and father to Niccolò Machiavelli. Although he was a Doctor of Law (hence, his title of Messer), he was heavily in debt, and was one of the Machiavelli family's poorest members. Bernardo, was born illegitimately and thus could not become a full citizen of Florence, nor could he participate in Florentine politics.Black (2022), p. 17 and 22 This affected his son Niccolo as well, who himself could not obtain full citizenship rights."Machiavelli, From Radical to Reactionary" Black, Robert. (2022), p. 17 and 22 He is known independently for his diary or Libro di Ricordi, chronicling the years 1474–1487. The pages, housed in the Biblioteca Riccardiana in Florence, serve as a look into the life and culture during this period and provide the only reliable information on his famous son's early youth. Bernardo Machiavelli was married to Bartolommea di Stefano Nelli.Nederman, Cary J. (December 2012). Machiavelli: A Beginner's Guide. Simon and Schuster. pg. 3 They had four children, Primavera, Margherita, Niccolò (the author of The Prince) and Totto.
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Bibliography
Catherine Atkinson: Debts, Dowries, Donkeys. The Diary of Niccolò Machiavelli’s Father, Messer Bernardo, in Quattrocento Florence, Frankfurt am Main 2002, Cesare Olschki, Hrsg.: Bernardo Machiavelli, Libro di Ricordi, Florenz 1954.