When looking at political philosophy, one cannot escape Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and certainly not Machiavelli.  As Leo Strauss indicates (and it appears to me most philosophers concur), Machiavelli is the first "modern" philosopher of politics.

He speaks of politics as they are as opposed to the possible perfection many would like to see.  This makes him often seen as evil, even today in our far more secularized world when Christian ethics are not necessarily the be all and end all of our societal organization. 

However, understanding the history of the man and what he attempted to do with his famous and controversial "The Prince" gives one a much more balanced perspective on him.  Machiavelli was, in fact, a fan of republican government, not tyrannies.  He was a patriot who wanted to defend Italy from being the playground for ambitious Kings who used it's land as chips in a poker game when not invading it to grow their own territory. 

For a beginner looking to understand one of the most important thinkers in history, this piece does more than a serviceable job.