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Army of India Medal: CM.1243-2009

An image of Army of India Medal

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Issuer: East India Company
Artist: Wyon, William
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Ruler: Victoria regina (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

The numerous campaigns of the forces of the British East India Company were not officially recognised with a medal until 1851, in the same move as that which created the Military and Naval General Service Medals for service in the contemporary French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The resulting Army of India medal covered battles from 1799 to 1826 in a theatre where many subsequent conflicts had arisen, so many of those involved were no longer living. Queen Victoria, by whose order the medal was issued and whose bust it therefore carried, was likewise not on the throne for the actions for which it was awarded.
The Maratha Empire, a Hindu confederacy which began in 1674, had in 1796 fallen into the hands of the Peshwa ruler Baji Rao II. A rebellion by Subadar Holkar VI of Indore in 1802 defeated his forces and the Peshwa forthwith concluded a treaty with the British East India Company, trading territory for protection. Baji Rao's subjects greeted this with outrage and rebellion ensued. Among the rebels were the Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur and Berar, whose forces attacked a British column from their fortress at Aseerghur, which the British then took after an hour's bombardment without a fight, and were defeated in a rather less certain battle at Argaon (Argaum as the bar has it). The British force responsible, under Sir Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington, went on to take the supposedly impregnable fortress of Gawilghur.
This medal was awarded to R. Crawford of the 94th Foot; his name is on the Roll of those awarded the medal, and he was also entitled to a Military General Service Medal with three bars. Lester Watson purchased this medal from the London dealer Baldwin in 1928.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 35.9 mm
Weight: 45.32 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

Production date: AD 1851

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left

  • Text: VICTORIA REGINA
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Victory seated facing left before palm and war spoils, holding laurel branch and wreath

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1243-2009
Primary reference Number: 141337
Watson Catalogue: 142
Ordering: M-0126
Previous object number: LW.0126
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 15 January 2024 Last processed: Monday 15 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Army of India Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141337 Accessed: 2024-11-21 19:13:01

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141337 |title=Army of India Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-21 19:13:01|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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