Francesco Guicciardini's Ricordi (Maxims and Reflections): Using communication and power to build reputation in the Renaissance.

This article examines Francesco Guicciardini’s *Ricordi* (Maxims and Reflections) as a significant contribution to the proto-history of public relations and strategic communication during the Renaissance. It argues that, alongside contemporaries like Machiavelli, Guicciardini emphasized the centrality of reputation in public and private affairs and advocated for deliberate communication management—such as monitoring public opinion, timing, discretion, and information control—to build and sustain power and influence. Unlike Machiavelli, Guicciardini stressed the role of fortuna (luck) and the importance of deeds alongside appearances in maintaining reputation, reflecting a pragmatic and situational approach to communication. The article situates Guicciardini’s work within a tradition of Renaissance thinkers who used communication strategically for hegemony, noting parallels with modern organizational reputation management despite differences in media technology and public scrutiny.