Final answer:
In 'Valiant Gentlemen,' the Spanish are historically depicted with variations in accuracy, sometimes influenced by the black legend. Portrayals may serve ideological purposes rather than strict historical accuracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Sabina Murray's Valiant Gentlemen, the historical depiction of the Spanish can vary in terms of accuracy. The novel may present Spanish characters in ways that do not always align with historical records. While certain narratives, such as those by Bernal Diaz in his True History of the Conquest of Spain, attempt to document the events of the Spanish conquest, other portrayals are influenced by the prevailing attitudes of the time, including the black legend, a narrative promulgated by Spain's rivals to depict them as exceptionally brutal and inhumane conquerors. This negative image was often used strategically by other European powers to justify their own colonial ambitions and to position themselves as more humane in contrast to the Spanish.
These differing portrayals can reflect broader historical and cultural biases rather than purely factual accounts. For example, Las Casas's accounts of the Spaniards' treatment of Native people contributed to the black legend, and such narratives were seized upon by English and other European writers to support their own colonization efforts. Hence, texts like Murray's and historical accounts may sometimes present the Spanish in ways that serve specific ideological or political purposes, rather than striving for strict historical accuracy.