Niccolo was ANTI-CHRISTIAN. The handbook was about how to get power and keep it. When you say someone is "machiavellian" you men he is COLD and DUPLICITOUS.The "dark triad" of personality traits?
MACHIAVELLIAN
NARCISSISM
PSYCHOPATHY
All despot dictators are that. Underlying which they are frightened terrified scairdy cats. They are anti-manly and cannot abide being criticized. They demand complete subservience obedience and adoration. They have no self-esteem or self-liking. At the same time they have delusions of grandeur and believe they are the very best of the best. Dichotomous every minute they are fractured defective deformed delusional.
I DARE YOU to show me one despot dictator who isn't! You can't.
Millions worship like he** all of them. Like is drawn to like. All the adoring worshippers of these defective frightened homo saps don't know any better. Don't want any better. Wouldn't know what to do with any better.