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Mint:
Birmingham
Artist:
Wyon, Leonard Charles
Artist:
Pinches, John
Ruler:
Victoria (1837-1901)
Ruler:
Victoria regina et imperatrix
(With the title of)
The serious weakening of Ottoman Egyptian power under foreign influence led to increasing attempts to shed Egyptian dominion in the Sudan, where in 1881 Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad ibn al-Sayyid 'Abd Allah was proclaimed as Mahdi (the legendary final redeemer of Islam). Several serious defeats of Egyptian forces in 1884 by his forces led to a concerted British campaign in defence of Egyptian claims, but control could not be recovered. The British withdrew their forces to Egypt and to Khartoum, where General Gordon defended the city whilst awaiting a relief column that, beset by Mahdist attacks, arrived too late.
One of the more unsual constituents of the relief expedition was a company of 384 Canadian voyageurs, expert raftsmen recruited to help get the whalers carrying the expedition up the treacherous rapids of the Nile. The irregular appearance of the Canadians was belied by their extraordinary labours with the boats, but most of them were allowed home after it was clear that Khartoum was lost. 2nd Foreman F. Delisle, one of the two commanders of the Caughnawaga Detachment appears to have been one of those who stayed, which allowed him to become of of only three of the voyageurs to participate in the capture of the Mahdist outpost at Kirbekan that earnt him the second bar to his medal. He was 50 years old at the time of the campaign.
Lester Watson purchased his medal at some point before 1928.
The Museum is grateful to Mr G. M. Stein for his researches and information on Foreman Delisle's part in the campaigns.
History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928
Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009
Diameter: 36.2 mm
Weight: 42.73 g
Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester
1884 CE - 1890 CE
Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left with veil
Inscription present: Sphynx on pedestal facing left
Accession number: CM.1225-2009
Primary reference Number: 141319
Watson Catalogue: 119
Ordering: M-0108
Previous object number: LW.0108
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Coins and Medals
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Egyptian Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141319 Accessed: 2024-12-22 10:24:47
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141319
|title=Egyptian Medal
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 10:24:47|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-141319
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<div class="text-center">
<figure class="figure">
<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0108_281_29.jpg"
alt="Egyptian Medal"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Egyptian Medal</figcaption>
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