In medieval Europe, the relationship between the Holy Roman Empire and some of its smaller principalities. The Empire claimed suzerainty over these principalities. However, in practice, many of these principalities had their own local governance, laws, and economies. The suzerainty was a polite fiction to some extent. The Empire got a sense of overarching control and the principalities maintained their local identities and a degree of independence. They would pay some form of tribute or show nominal allegiance to the Empire mainly for the sake of maintaining a certain order in the feudal hierarchy.
One example could be the relationship between the Ottoman Empire and some of its vassal states in the Balkans. The Ottomans had suzerainty over these states, but in reality, the vassal states often had a great deal of internal autonomy. The idea of Ottoman suzerainty was sometimes more of a polite fiction, as the Ottomans were more concerned with matters like tribute and nominal loyalty while the vassal states managed their own local affairs.
Suzerainty polite fiction could be seen as a diplomatic construct. Suzerainty has historical roots in relationships between stronger and weaker states. The 'polite' aspect implies a certain decorum in how this relationship is presented. It could be that in a modern context, this is a remnant of old - fashioned power dynamics. For instance, in some historical empires, there were many vassal states. But over time, as international norms changed, the strictness of suzerainty faded. However, the idea might still exist in a polite, fictional sense, where countries maintain a semblance of an old - style relationship for cultural or diplomatic reasons.
Since I'm not certain about what exactly 'arrow polite fiction' is, I can't really give specific examples. It could be that there are some indie works or experimental stories out there that fit this label, but without a clear definition, it's difficult to point to any examples.
Sure. When you receive a gift you don't like, but you say 'Thank you so much! It's just what I wanted.' That's a polite fiction.
The life of Nostradamus. His prophecies were so detailed and often seemed to predict future events in a very uncanny way. While some might debate the authenticity of his prophecies, his life and the legends around him make for a history that sounds like it belongs in a fictional world of seers and clairvoyants.
Sure. The story of Rasputin is a great example. He was this Siberian peasant who had an extraordinary influence on the Russian royal family. He seemed to be able to survive numerous assassination attempts, including being poisoned, shot, and beaten, before finally being drowned. It's like something from a wild, over - the - top fictional story, but it was real history.
One example is the Watergate scandal. Initially, there were attempts to keep the story of the break - in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover - up a secret. It was a 'forbidden story' until the journalists like Woodward and Bernstein dug deeper.
Sure. Take the story of Joan of Arc. A young peasant girl who claimed to hear divine voices and led the French army to several victories during the Hundred Years' War. It seems like something out of a fictional epic, but it's real history.
One example is the Industrial Revolution. This historical period brought about massive changes in society, economy, and technology. It was a real - life transformation that affected millions of people. In fiction, we might read about made - up technological advancements, but they lack the real - world implications and the depth of historical events. Also, the life of great historical figures like Gandhi. His non - violent resistance movement is a real - life inspiration that has influenced generations, which is more powerful than fictional characters' actions.
Since the term 'can fiction' is not a well - defined one, it's difficult to give specific examples. But if we assume it means fictional works that can inspire change, then books like '1984' by George Orwell could be considered as it can make readers more aware of the dangers of totalitarianism.
One example could be 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova. It combines elements of vampire lore with historical settings. Another is 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' which features magic in a historical England.