A “mirror for princes” is a literary genre that provides advice and guidance for rulers on how to govern their realm and conduct themselves morally and politically. These works were especially common during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and were often written by philosophers, clergy, or learned advisors. One of the most famous mirrors for princes is The Prince (1513) by Niccolò Machiavelli, which offers a pragmatic and often realpolitik perspective on the exercise of power. Other mirrors for princes emphasized spiritual and ethical ideals, such as De regimine principum by Thomas Aquinas.