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Ghuznee Medal: CM.1514-2009

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: Calcutta
Ruler: Shuja al-Mulk (1803-9, 1839-42)
Issuer: East India Company
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)

Entities

Categories

Description

The First Anglo-Afghan War was brought about, against a background of British desire to control this troublesome area on the Indian North-West Frontier, by the campaign of the exiled Shah Shujah al-Mulk, to oust his brother Mahmud from the Afghan throne (something which he had done in 1803 in order to succeed in the first place).
After an unsuccessful attempt in 1833 backed by the ruler of the Punjab, Shujah managed to add British support for a campaign of 1839 and was thereby restored, although he was assassinated almost as soon as the British left the country, provoking a return to conflict for which other medals were awarded.
The most difficult part of the campaign was the capture of the fortress in the mountain pass of Ghazni, and for participation in this battle Shah Shujah had a medal stuck at Calcutta. He was dead before it could be issued, but Queen Victoria and the East India Company allowed it to be awarded through the usual channels anyway.
This medal is unnamed, but from its provenance it is clear that it was awarded to Brigadier George Warren of the European Regiment; the medal's award to him has been verified. Brigadier Warren's medal group has come as one into the Watson Collection and the Catalogue considers them as Group 9, but as the pieces are not physically attached they are treated separately here. Lester Watson purchased them as a group from the London dealers Baldwin in 1931.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1931

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 37.2 mm
Weight: 38.92 g

Place(s) associated

  • Calcutta

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1839

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Fortress

  • Text: GHUZNEE
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Recipient's name above mural crown, with laurel branches around

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1514-2009
Primary reference Number: 141613
Watson Catalogue: 131
Ordering: M-0402
Previous object number: LW.0367d
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Saturday 22 January 2022 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

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) "Ghuznee Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141613 Accessed: 2024-03-29 11:22:31

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141613 |title=Ghuznee Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-29 11:22:31|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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