"BLACK LEGEND" AS A TOOL OF THE GEOPOLITICAL STRUGGLE IN XVI CENTURY AND ITS INTERPRETATION TODAY: THE DENIGRATION OF THE ENEMY-COUNTRY AND MODERN THE STRATEGY OF DEMONIZING

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.