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Mint:
Birmingham
Ruler:
Victoria (1837-1901)
State:
United Kingdom
Ruler:
VRI
(With the title of)
After the initial British success against Amir Sher Ali in Afghanistan in 1878, a British resident was installed in Kabul in 1879, the Amir being sworn (and paid a considerable subsidy) to behave friendlily towards him. This proved no protection against the Resident's murder along with other British residents in September 1879, whereupon war was rejoined.
After a very brief cessation of conflict, in July 1880 Sher Ali's nephew Abdur Rahman was proclaimed Amir by the British, whereupon his cousin Ayub Khan, brother of Shere Ali's son who had been proclaimed by the Afghans in the previous year, rebelled and defeated a British force sent to oppose him at Maiwand. The remains of this force retired back to Kandahar where they were heavily besieged for a month before relief could arrive from Kabul. The relief force, which covered the 110 miles between the two forts in 22 days, and defeated the Afghan army the very next day, which led Queen Victoria to approve the issue of a bronze star for membership of it in 1881. The star, in an echo of the Victoria Cross, was struck from the metal of Afghan guns captured at Kandahar in that decisive battle.
This example of the Star is unnamed, and its recipient therefore unknown, but it is not impossible that it belonged to the recipient of the Afghanistan Medal in the Watson Collection that bears the corresponding clasp for Kandahar, Bugler R. Harris of the 2nd Battalion 60th Foot. There is no way to be certain, however. Lester Watson acquired this piece at some point before 1928.
History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, acquired before 1928
Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009
Diameter: 47.4 mm
Weight: 33.54 g
Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester
Production date: AD 1881
Inscription present: Royal monogram in centre with inscription around on downward five-pointed star with balls between points, uppermost surmounted by crown
Inscription present: Circular cavity
Accession number: CM.1291-2009
Primary reference Number: 141385
Watson Catalogue: 194
Ordering: M-0174
Previous object number: LW.0174
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) "Kabul to Kandahar Star" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141385 Accessed: 2024-11-17 15:50:30
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141385
|title=Kabul to Kandahar Star
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-17 15:50:30|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:
https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-141385
To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:
<div class="text-center">
<figure class="figure">
<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0174_281_29.jpg"
alt="Kabul to Kandahar Star"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Kabul to Kandahar Star</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
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