Gerona - Facts

 The novel is mainly about the siege of Gerona during the Napoleonic Wars. The third siege of Girona occurred in northern Catalonia, Spain from 6 May to 12 December 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars. Though badly outnumbered, the Spanish defenders forced a lengthy siege, and a large French army was pinned down for an entire campaigning season. 

The book refers to the unit of women called the Company of Women of Santa Barbara. Their founding decree stated that any woman could join the Company of Santa Bárbara, though young and healthy women were preferred. The company was divided into squadrons led by a female commander responsible for relaying orders from military command. While organically dependent on the governor, the company's internal operations would be in the hands of the women themselves who comprised it.

Andres was assigned to Torre Gironella. 

The governor was Mariano Álvarez de Castro. Brigadier Mariano Álvarez Bermúdez de Castro y López Aparicio (September 8, 1749 – January 21, 1810) was a Spanish military officer, and the military governor of Girona during the siege by the French during the War of Spanish Independence.

When Mariano Álvarez fell sick, he was replaced by Julian Bolivar. Julián Bolívar (Bilbao, Vizcaya, c. 1750–1815) was a Spanish field marshal.

Andres is taken prisoner to Perpignan, where he and others are held in the Castillet. The Castillet is an ancient fortification and city gate located in Perpignan.

Mariano Álvarez died in the Castle of Figueras. In spite of Álvarez's poor health, the French imprisoned him at Perpignan. On 21 January 1809 Álvarez was brought to the castle of San Fernando in Figueres, where he was found dead the following day, of a fever according to the French, poisoned, according to the Spanish. He was buried, wrapped in only a sheet, in the cemetery there.

Gabriel appears at the end of the novel. He is Puerto de Santa María with his unit. El Puerto de Santa Maríais a municipality of Spain located on the banks of the Guadalete River in the province of Cádiz. In the nineteenth century the city became the General Headquarters for the French Army during the Peninsular War under the reign of Joseph Bonaparte (1801–1812).

The characters mention that Lord Byron was in Cadiz. George Gordon Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest British poets.

Amaranta mentions that she is friends with Wellesley, the British Ambassador. Henry Wellesley (20 January 1773 – 27 April 1847) was an Anglo-Irish diplomat and politician. He is known particularly for his service as British Ambassador to Spain during the Peninsular War where he acted in cooperation with his brother to gain the support of Cortes of Cádiz.