Syldavia

Syldavia is a monarchy, ruled at the time of the King Ottokar's Sceptre story by Muskar XII. The capital is Klow, formerly Zileheroum, at the confluence of the Moltus and Wladir Rivers. Other cities are Niedzdrow, Istow, Dbrnouk, and Zlip. The population of Syldavia is 642,000 with 122,000 living in Klow.

Syldavia’s is also called The Realm of the Black Pelican. (It has also been described as “a Belgium disguised as Slavic country”). Syldavians seem to be fond of mineral water.

Origin of people of Syldavia is obscure. The modern Syldavia was formed 1127 when a tribal chief Hveghi drove away Turkish conquerors and took the name Muskar. Borduria conquered the country 1195 until Ottokar I drove them away in 1275. King Ottokar IV decreed that the ruler of Syldavia must have hold on the scepter of power or he loses his authority. This custom had a power of law as late as 1939.

1939 Syldavia had a border incursion with its neighbor Borduria when a plot tried to oust king Muskar XII. Situation was very similar that of Anschluss in Austria in 1938 (though the conclusion was not the same). Journalist Tintin had a hand in defusing the situation.

In the 1950s Syldavia also had a secret but successful space program in the area of Sbrojd. Agents of both Syldavia and Borduria later kidnapped one of the prominent scientists of the program, Cuthbert Calculus[?], when they attempted to get hold of his plans for a revolutionary weapon.

Tintin stories with Syldavia:

• Le Sceptre d’Ottokar (King Ottokar's Sceptre, 1939)
• Objectic Lune (Destination Moon, 1953)
• On a Marche sur la Lune (Explorers on the Moon[?], 1954, for earth scenes only)
• L'Affaire Tournesol (The Calculus Affair, 1956)

External links

• On the Syldavian language (http://www.zompist.com/syldavian)