“BLACK LEGEND” AS A TOOL OF THE GEOPOLITICAL STRUGGLE IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY AND ITS INTERPRETATION TODAY: THE DENIGRATION OF THE ENEMY-COUNTRY AND THE STRATEGY OF “DEMONIZING” THE ENEMY

Aim. To comprehensively study the real historical events that took place in 1562-1567 in Spanish Florida, when Spain was vilified by its enemies, while the illegal actions of the French themselves were presented in a different light to the society of France and Europe. Methodology. The following important works formed the basis of this research: Bennett’s publications, including the memoirs of the French who participated in the events; the letters from the kings of Spain and France, as well as Spanish ambassadors in France; the memoirs of the contemporaries of those events and published manuscripts. The research was conducted using the methods of comparison, historical analysis, and expert assessment. Results. The history of the struggle between Spain and France on the shores of modern Florida and in the West Indies in 1565 allows drawing a historical parallel between the development of manipulative methods of influence today and the methods of denigrating the enemy 450 years ago. Both then and today the “image of the enemy” is used to justify any illegal actions. The examples from 450 years ago show how bribery and the economic incentives of the “fifth column” of traitors within the country can cause irreparable damage to an entire state. Research implications. The historic examples show and reveal the myths about Spain, as well as the methods and scale of the information war aimed at creating an image of the enemy for the society of France and European countries. A comparative analysis of these historical events of 1563-1565 and contemporary technologies of information warfare sets a prospect for further studies.

Black Legend, Spanish Florida, French Florida, pirates West-India, Jean Ribault, Menendez, La Carolina, information war, enemy image, fifth column, mythological model, demonization strategy

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