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Although the words the Hergé used to portray Syldavian appear to resemble Polish, many other characteristics are quite Bulgarian...

For example, Mosques appearing conspicuously in Slavic towns wher Kyrillic script is very visible. I'm not sure if this even occurs in Serbia.

On the brochure of Syldavia, there is a panoramic view of a town (I can't spell it). Now compare this picture with images of Plovdiv (Bulgaria's second largest city after Sofija) from www.worldcityphotos.org (maybe there are good pics elsewhere), where you click on Bulgaria and then on anything that says "Plovdiv". Similar, aren't they?

King Muskar XII fairly closely resembles the ruler of Bulgaria during the time, Tsar Boris III (who, BTW, saved all 50,000 of Bulgaria's Jews, even as the trains were waiting at Sofija's station to carry them to the Nazi camps). The palace also appears very western in a city that otherwise has some eastern characteristics (similar to Bulgaria, which tried to be European after centuries of rule under an Eastern culture, the Ottomans)...

In "Destination Moon", the monarch has more or less disappeared, and this mountainous country now resembles a police state, somewhat similar to Bulgaria during the 1950s.

Conclusion: Hergé must have followed Bulgaria quite closely to create Syldavia.

Some good points there Snafu.

Other parallels can be drawn from several other countries too:
Ottokar is a Bohemian name, and coupled with the architecture of Klow and the issue of Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland, gives the impression of Czechoslovakia.
The Iron Guard was a real organisation in (I think) Romania.
And I remember reading somewhere that the question of the monarchy was based on Leopold III's succession to the Belgian throne from Albert I.

As you say in your original post however, Bulgaria may be the one country that Syldavia resembles most closely.

Ed

Although I've never been to the Czech Republic, Prague looks far more western and could have been a Germanic city – too Occidental for Klow.

The Syldavian costumes look quite Asian – nearly Turkish!! And even though I've never been to Bulgaria, Sofija has that sort of East-West mix...

There's a book that refers to King Ottokar's Sceptre called Tintin in the Land of Politics. It's not a pastiche, it's a book which makes a sharp, concise, examination of the role of Syldavia, and which challenges conventional interpretations of this early Tintin masterpiece, arguing that there is a dark secret at the heart of the Syldavian kingdom. Perhaps it would help?

By the way, I'm trying to find a Tintin book in Bulgarian. Could anyone help me?

In my opinion, and I've often thought about the Syldavian inspirations, both Bulgaria and Albania seem the most likely candidates that inspired Herge's creation of Syldavia.
For me, I agree that the Cyrillic signs and letters suggest Bulgaria, and also fits the Turkish styled mosques and obvious Turkish influences in peasants dress style (male fez, womens headscarves and long full skirts, etc), and King Muskar's similar looks to Bulgaria's King Boris III.
But apart from the Cyrillic clues, I personally think there are as many clues to suggest Albania as an equal or even bigger inspiration for our Balkan Syldavia.
The predominance of a Muslim-looking peasant majority population, seemingly more Turkish inspired mosques than churches in every town and village scene, an equally strong likeness between King Muskar and Albania's King Zog, the comparisons between Syldavia's "Pelican" flag/emblem and Albania's black double eagle flag/emblem.
Other clues outside of the Czech (Bohemian) and Romanian (Iron Guard) ingredients, that make me think of Albania that little bit more than Bulgaria (or even Serbia) are the recent 1939 Italian Facsist invasion of Albania (similar to the Bordurian pressure) and the previous hostile threats behind the scenes from Italy to King Zog and Albanian independence, and the general feel of Syldavia'a Oriental/Ottoman appearance (more mosques than churches, peasants costume, etc) fits Albania's majority Muslim population far more than Bulgaria's minority Muslim population.
Am I missing any other clues?
So all in all, for me its both Albania and Bulgaria - But somewhere in between the both, that is my Syldavia.

Michael Farr compares Syldavia to Romania, with not just the iron guard but also with King Carol being in a similar position to Muskar.

In an interesting reversal Romanian used Cyrillic script until around 1850.

Although i agree that Romania was obviously the inspiration for The Iron Guard in Sydavia, and like most other Balkan and some East European countries there are other general influences in Herge's Syldavia, i still maintain that there are far more influences of Ottoman influence between 1930's Albania and Bulgaria with Syldavia.

The situation of Albania's King Zog, the likeness of both King Zog and King Boris III with King Muskar, the Cyrillic script in Syldavian signs (Bulgaria), the predominance of mosques rather than churches in most scenes (Albania), the obvious Ottoman legacy influence in peasants costume (Albania), and therefore presumably a majority Muslim population rather than a minority (Albania over Bulgaria).

Other general Balkan influences and inspirations are found in Syldavia's history and culture from Bohemia, Czech, Yugoslav (Bosnia, Sandzak, Kosovo, Macedonia) - in the village scenes, "Macedonia" cigarettes, cuisine, Balkan military and court uniforms, etc.

Most these influences are established in King Ottokar's Sceptre, and although some of these are maintained and continued in Destination Moon and The Calculus Affair, there seems a deliberate absence of King Muskar and Sydavia's Monarchy, and in The Calculus Affair a clear move towards increasing our knowledge of Borduria, and the later post Kingdom of Syldavia is more left to our imagination or accepted as general historic regional post-war changes.

But i still would stand by the pre-war Monarchy and Kingdom of Syldavia has far more in common with 1930's Albania (and then Bulgaria, or even a Kosovan/Sandzak styled Yugoslav Kingdom), than it does with Romania (other than the Iron Guard inspiration, or general Balkan influence).

While these facts might seem interesting, I am not quite sure whether Muslim population is a certain possible majority in Syldavia. Looking at the Syldavia brochure, it is mentioned that the Slavs(which could be assumed as nonmuslims, but we'll never know exactly about that though) were the first known tribe settled in plains which is now part of Syldavian territory. I accept the possibility of Islamic influences from the Turks, but given that the Turks hold has weakened since battle of Zileheroum (said in brochure as "Enfeebled by long inactivity and badly led by incompetent officers..."), I think it is rather unlikely to have its influences withstands until Tintin's era. And about the villager's outfit, while the fisherman's outfit is based from a real life Muslim fishermen in Balkan peninsula, the peasant-woman's outfit could have been a variation from rural outfits in rural eastern Europe instead of Muslimah dress.

Now that you put possibility of Muslim population forward, it makes me think about the alcoholic drink import policy in Syldavia. Could it be that this policy creation is influenced, or even triggered by the demography? (given that Muslims are indeed a major population in Syldavia)
Or is it just a "surrealistic" piece created by Hergé to develop the fictional nation out?

tintinsgf

Actually i think Herge's ideas and research for inspiration in creating believable but fictional nations or Kingdoms like Syldavia (or Borduria, etc), work because the cultures, history, archive evidence, and scenes in the book all play their part in telling us about the place, and do provide the evidence for this.

Take the example of the Syldavians being Slavs, and also Muslim, with Ottoman Turkish history, as were the Slavs of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sandzak, and Macedonia, Pomak Slavs of Bulgaria and Thrace, or the non-Turkish or Slav Albanians of Kosovo and Albania.

The village mosques of Syldavia would not suggest especially ancient or important preserved Ottoman mosques as museums, but as functional modern mosques as part of the village communities.
The Muslim influence in the peasants clothes, particularly the mens "fez" and "Ashkahan" hats, suggest a Muslim population, if not exclusively, certainly there are far more Muslim influences and suggestions than Christian.

I don't doubt that Syldavia is depicted as a mixed population Kingdom including Christian ("St.Vladimir's Day' etc), but the clues and influences of Muslim and Turkish culture certainy out-number the Christian.

I think the references to Syldavia's "Mineral water", and alcohol import tax, in Destination Moon (and The Lake of Sharks) are also interesting additions to the idea of a Muslim dominant Syldavia.

I still maintain all the archive evidence, influence and inspiration, for Syldavia, suggest Albania and Bulgaria, with other general Balkan and Ottoman influences of Romania (Iron Guard) and Bosnia, Sandzak, Kosovo, Macedonia (Muslim Slav populations).

Linda UK

I see. Now that you cleared everything in my mind about the influence, it is now more convincing for me when looking at the evidence you stated already. What made me not-so convinced at first was the Kingdom's religious preference, but then again you could find major Muslim population led by government that don't have matching religious preference with the population (ex. secular govt. or other) throughout the world.