I think it has a great foundation, but I dont necessarily agree that this has to be preserved. Machiavelli did create a great foundation for how rulers can enforce power with reason, but Im sure there has been other papers similar to this one with valid points as well. The ideals expressed in this work arent essential to mankind, nor do they carry any true insights into life or humanism. I do agree that machiavelli standing up to the church and creating a new way of thinking about governance was influential in the example you gave of Henry VII.

My question to you is, would you want to live in a Machiavellian society?