Final answer:
Niccolò Machiavelli in 'The Prince' advocated for the unification of Italy under a strong ruler, emphasizing practical governance over purely moral or virtuous rule. The answer is option B.
Step-by-step explanation:
In The Prince, Machiavelli did not advocate for rulers to solely be honest and virtuous, nor did he call for loosening the bonds of the state to allow subjects greater freedom. Rather, he focused on the practicality and effectiveness of rule, which sometimes included actions that were not morally virtuous. The most accurate choice from the provided options is that he called for the unification of Italy under a strong ruler.
Machiavelli's treatise suggests that rulers may need to act against moral principles if it serves the purpose of securing and maintaining power. This aligns with historical examples such as Count Camillo di Cavour's efforts in the unification of Italy and Otto Von Bismarck's Realpolitik in the unification of Germany. In these cases, the emphasis was on pragmatic and strategic governance, rather than purely moral or virtuous rule.