ch history spanning six centuries. There is of course the argument, that even primary source evidence can be somewhat tainted. Propaganda by rulers and governments has been used a major tool to promote popularity amongst their people. For example, in Russia at the turn of the century writers who wrote critically about the internal affairs of government were censured, persecuted and sometimes imprisoned or executed. In 1537 to 1574, The massive censorship exercised by Cosimo I de Medici of Florence precipitated a decline in historiography in Florence. The extreme wealth and power of the Medici family extended even further into the art of the Renaissance period and their depiction was prevalent as saintly figures in the works of these artists. Fear of persecution could drive an otherwise intelligent scholar to be biased and one sided.Even today bias and prejudice is apparent in the accounting of daily events in newspapers and television. The events revealed to the public are those which the editor or director chooses to be relevant. The Daily Telegraph for example, is widely perceived as being supportive of the Tories. In the world of films we never read this is a true story in the credits but that it is based on a true story. The director, has used artistic licence to inject either a romantic or personal view. Many of the mass audience will understand the events portrayed to be factual and will never care to consult the evidence.History has followed a somewhat changeable course over the centuries. The style of Edward Gibbons work can be defined as Liberal or Whig history, in so much as he has fitted the evidence to suit his theory. Subsequent to Liberal history, there was a call for historians to write objectively in an effort for the works presented to be more realistic. This type of historiography was known as Tory history. The style is apparent in the works of GR Elton and Lewis Nanier. In producing their texts, Tory hist...
