While Gallacia is a fictional place in the Ruritanian tradition, Alex’s war is a very real one, the Serbian–Bulgarian War of 1885. Probably most wars are confusing for the people on the ground, but this particular one was even more baffling and badly run than most. I can’t possibly do it justice in a paragraph, but it’s worth reading about if you ever want an object lesson in how not to invade Bulgaria. (Please do not invade Bulgaria under any circumstances.)
