England fans react as they watch a live broadcast of the Women's Euro final football match between England and Spain, at Boxpark Wembley in London on July 27, 2025. (Photo by Niklas Halle'n/AFP Photo)

England’s Natasha Hunt pours champagne into the mouth of Zoe Aldcroft as she holds the trophy after England beat Canada 33-13 in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham in London on September 27, 2025. England became world champions on Saturday in front of 81,885 spectators at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, while overall 444,465 tickets were sold during the tournament. (Photo by Garry Bowden/ProSport/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A figurine depicting the bloody face of Donald Trump is seen in San Gregorio Armeno (the famous Neapolitan street of nativity scenes) following his attempted assassination in July 13 Pennsylvania rally, in Naples, Italy on July 16, 2024. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Miss California Crystal Lee performs during the Miss America 2014 pageant, Sunday, September 15, 2013, in Atlantic City, N.J. (Photo by Mel Evans/AP Photo)

Do you think that history is a science? Well, not exactly. First, and foremost, history is the state's “legend of wars”, it’s official regalia. Of course, public historians are not interested in scientific truth – quite the opposite. In this respect, any attempt to present a state’s history as altruistic and benevolent as possible is welcomed and encouraged – as opposed to any revisionism attempts that may be more accurate. In this matter, Chinese have surpassed us all – they revised in highly creative manner (but rather shamelessly) the technology already invented by Europeans, a process that resulted in oldest state on the planet. Here is an interesting paradox: ask any sinologist about the Middle Kingdom during second century B.C., and he will describe it to you in such a vivid manner as if he has been living there all his life – but as soon as you will ask him to describe Chinese history in the 19-20th centuries… let's say, his eagerness will be greatly diminished. However, we will discuss China in a different article, and in the meantime we will try to understand how exactly historic “legend of wars” is formed and functions – based on a specific and well-known example. A great example is Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world.

A dog, at the behest of his owner, rides a skatebaord on April 3, 2017 in Berlin, Germany. The dog's owner, who looked like he might be homeless, coaxed the dog to ride the skatebaord and asked passersby who stopped to watch for money. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Members of the SubCielo company perform during the fifth annual Puerto Rico Circo Fest in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, March 10, 2018. The festival is held simultaneously in several spots on the streets of the Old San Juan city on March 10–11. (Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/AFP Photo)

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh practicing his bicycle polo technique, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire, 1964. (Photo by Norman Potter/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)