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Nothing makes a prince so much esteemed as great enterprises and

setting a fine example. We have in our time Ferdinand of Aragon,

the present King of Spain. He can almost be called a new prince,

because he has risen, by fame and glory, from being an

insignificant king to be the foremost king in Christendom; and if

you will consider his deeds you will find them all great and some

of them extraordinary. In the beginning of his reign he attacked

Granada, and this enterprise was the foundation of his dominions.

He did this quietly at first and without any fear of hindrance,

for he held the minds of the barons of Castile occupied in

thinking of the war and not anticipating any innovations; thus

they did not perceive that by these means he was acquiring power

and authority over them. He was able with the money of the Church

and of the people to sustain his armies, and by that long war to

lay the foundation for the military skill which has since

distinguished him.