King Duncan

So far in Macbeth, up until scene III, the two prominent leaders of the play are King Duncan and Macbeth. Duncan was king of Scotland before SPOILER ALERT! he was killed by Macbeth, who than became King of Scotland. At the beginning of the play, we see King Duncan as a kind king. Maybe a little to kind. The Thane of Cawdor rebelled against Duncan, helping the Norwegians in their battle against Scotland. If Duncan had been a more strict king, he would've seen that the Thane of Cawdor was going to rebel. "There's no art it find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built  an absolute trust" (1.4. #11-13). By trusting the Thane of Cawdor, King Duncan never suspected that he would be turned upon. He was perhaps blinded by his friendship to see what the Thane was doing. He also realised what he had to do once he heard that the Thane of Cawdor betrayed Scotland. "No more that Thane of Cawdor shall decieve our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present deat, And with his former title greet Macbeth" (1.2 #63-65) By ordering the Thane's death, he ensures that he will never betray Scotland again.
By Machiavelli standards, Macbeth started out as a good Machiavelli leader, but than he went spiraling downwards. "The ends justify the means." Macbeth will do whatever it takes to stay king. He has killed King Duncan, killed his friend Banquo, threatened witches and killed innocent lives for no reason at all. And than he messes it all up by regretting what he has done. Machiavelli would say that by showing regret after getting what he wants, is weakness, because he is not strong enough to be a leader.Macbeth will do whatever it takes to get what he wants, and he follows this quote pretty well. "Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others." Macbeth follows his ambition from becoming king, to making sure his children become king, by killing Banquo, and than killing people to stay in power. He secured himself, for the most part, from attack by the Thane's in Scotland by placing spies in each of the Thane's households. He than attacks other people like Macduff's wife and children, because he wants to make sure Macduff is not a threat. Machiavelli would say that Macbeth is a good ruler by this quote.