HOW MUCH HISTORY DEFINES

How much history defines what is historical writing?

I called DEATH RIDER a historical western because many of the events actually happened and on the dates stated in the novel. Also many of the people named were the actual people pertaining to the events, but my character and most of his events were purely fiction.

So what defines historical writing, is it the period reference, dress, events, dates?

It seems to me that first would be the period reference, meaning dates.

I believe the manner of dress would be next, explicit to the time period you're in.

Then events which are also date sensitive in most cases because some same type of events can, and do happen, at any time of life.