IDENTIFIERS
-----------
id:	141239
accession number:	CM.1145-2009

DATE AUDIT
----------
created:	Saturday 6 August 2011
updated:	Monday 15 January 2024

DESCRIPTIVE DATA
----------------
object type: The Ashanti Confederation, which had existed since 1695, was from 1888 ruled by King Prempeh I, who pursued a determined policy of independence while considerably expanding his empire. In 1896 however, Britain, alleging Ashanti cannibalism and human sacrifice, and under the pretext of recovering a debt that the previous ruler had incurred to the British twenty years before, sent forces into the Ashanti capital of Kumase, in modern-day Ghana. Prempeh, in order to avoid bloodshed, offered no resistance and allowed himself to be deposed. He was exiled by the British, but was allowed to return as a private citizen in 1924.
This star, which combines a four-pointed star with the cross of St Andrew and is struck from gun-metal, was awarded to the troops who took part in the 1896 expedition that took Kumase. It was reportedly designed by Princess Henry of Battenburg, Queen Victoria's youngest daughter Beatrice, whose husband Prince Henry of Battenburg died of illness contracted on this campaign.
It is unnamed, and the recipient therefore unknown. Lester Watson purchased it from the London dealer Spink at some point before 1928.
title:	Ashanti Star

NOTES
-----
type: history note
value: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928


LICENSING
---------
text license status:	CC0
image license status:	CC-BY-NC-SA

OWNERSHIP
---------
instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum
department: Coins and Medals
collection:	Lester Watson Collection
creditline: Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

STABLE URL
----------
url:	https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141239





TECHNIQUES
----------
struck

CATEGORIES
------
category: medal

DATING
------
creation date:	1896 - 1896
creation date earliest:	1896
creation date latest:	1896

CREATORS
--------
maker: Birmingham
maker: Victoria (1837-1901)
maker: Battenburg, Princess Henry of
maker: queen

DIMENSIONS
----------
dimension: Diameter
units: mm
value: 37.3

dimension: Weight
units: g
value: 21.12



CITATIONS
--------
British Battles and Medals 7th edn
British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959)
---
IMAGES

surrogate: large
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_281_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 132 pixels

surrogate: mid
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_281_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 132 pixels

surrogate: original
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_281_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 132 pixels

surrogate: preview
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_281_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 132 pixels


surrogate: large
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_282_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 141 pixels

surrogate: mid
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_282_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 141 pixels

surrogate: original
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_282_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 141 pixels

surrogate: preview
format: jpeg
location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0028_282_29.jpg
height: 365 pixels
width: 141 pixels