A boy plays in a swollen creek under a bridge in Manila on October 16, 2016. Typhoon Sarika lashed the main Philippine island of Luzon on October 16, flattening homes and toppling trees and power pylons as more than 12,000 people fled to safer ground, officials said. Shanties built beside a river, under a creek are the usual victims of floodings. (Photo by Noel Celis/AFP Photo)

The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 21 mission began on July 21 as an international crew of aquanauts splashed down to the undersea Aquarius Reef Base, located 62 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The NEEMO 21 crew will perform research both inside and outside the habitat during a 16-day simulated space mission. During simulated spacewalks carried out underwater, they will evaluate tools and mission operation techniques that could be used in future space missions, including journeys to Mars. (Photo by Karl Shreeves/NASA)

A man dressed as a traditional character in the “Baile de Negras” dance poses for a picture on the feast day of the Virgin of the Candelaria (Candlemas) in the town of Diriomo, some 45 km from Managua, Nicaragua on February 2, 2017 Candlemas falls forty days after Christmas and is celebrated by Catholics as the presentation of Christ at the Temple. (Photo by Inti Ocon/AFP Photo)

The first four finalists are selected during the 66th Miss Universe pageant at Planet Hollywood hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 26, 2017. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Reuters)

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.

Dancer of the Berlin State Ballet (Staatsballett Berlin) wear face masks as they perform during the dress rehearsal of Don Quixote in a production choreographed by Victor Ullate, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic at Deutsche Oper opera house in Berlin, Germany, December 1, 2021. (Photo by Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)

Racegoers in attendance on Ladies Day at Ascot Racecourse on June 21, 2018 in Ascot, England. Ladies Day is the biggest day in the racing calendar and brings with it all the glitz and glamour as those attending don their best outfits. Ascot Racecourse is steeped in Royal history, first founded by Queen Anne in 1711, with the first race in her honour held on August 11, 1711. This year’s Royal Ascot began Tuesday, June 19, with races every day until Saturday, June 23. (Photo by South West News Service)

Dancers from Tokyo wearing traditional costumes perform during a celebration event, a day before Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's royal parade in front of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan November 9, 2019. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)