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Medal for Glory (Turkish General Service Medal): CM.1191-2009

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An image of Medal for Glory (Turkish General Service Medal)
Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

State: Ottoman Empire
Ruler: ‘Abd al-Majid (1823-61)

Entities

Categories

Description

The Ottoman Sultan Abdúlmecid, once committed to the Crimean alliance, was eager to foster close cooperation between his forces and those of his allies; Turkish troops sometimes operated under British or French command, and British or French troops with Turkish units.
This co-operation was symbolised by the issue of Turkish military medals to troops of the allied nations. The Medal for Glory, effectively a General Service award, had been instituted in 1831, but in 1854 a special issue was struck and presented by the Sultan at his palace to a limited number of British officers and men who had been conspicuous in the fighting.
It is not known to which of those recipients this medal was awarded, as it is unnamed. Lester Watson bought it from the dealer Lowe at some point before 1928.

Notes

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

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 31 mm
Weight: 17.44 g

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1855

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Sultan's cipher in disc low centre, with spears and leaves above flanking six-pointed star and crescent moon left and right

  • Text: [1270 H.]
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Six-pointed star in centre of twelve-pointed star, above banner with Turkish inscription, foliate ornament below

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1191-2009
Primary reference Number: 141285
Watson Catalogue: 80
Ordering: M-0074
Previous object number: LW.0074

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 29 April 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 (2025) "Medal for Glory (Turkish General Service Medal)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141285 Accessed: 2025-12-05 11:08:49

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141285 |title=Medal for Glory (Turkish General Service Medal) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 11:08:49|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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