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Honourable East India Company's Egypt Medal: CM.1217-2009

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: Calcutta
Issuer: East India Company
Ruler: George III (1760-1820) (Struck in the rule of)

Entities

Categories

Description

General Napoleon Bonaparte, in 1798 not yet in power in France, conceived the idea of attacking Egypt to cut Britain off from India, and was sent to do so at least partly so as to remove him from turbulent Paris. However, in the wake of a triumphant naval victory by Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson at Aboukir Bay, and a general lack of strategic success despite several crushing victories over Egyptian and Ottoman forces, Bonaparte returned to France in 1799 to take power by coup. French troops remained in the country until 1801, however, when a force under Sir Ralph Abercromby was dispatched to expel them. He was aided in this by a contingent supplied by the Honourable East India Company, and in 1802 the Company approved the issue of this medal for the men who had taken part.
The medal is unnamed, so we do not know who the recipient of this example was. Lester Watson purchased the medal from the dealer Gifford in 1927.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Gifford 1927.

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 49 mm
Weight: 47.26 g

Place(s) associated

  • Calcutta

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1801

Note

Fine die

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Sepoy with flagstaff flying Union Jack before encampment

  • Text: [This medal has been presented in commemoration of the defeat of the French armies in the Kingdom of Egypt by the great bravery and abilities of the victorious army of England]
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Ship under full sail right before Pyramids

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1217-2009
Primary reference Number: 141311
Watson Catalogue: 111
Ordering: M-0100
Previous object number: LW.0100
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) "Honourable East India Company's Egypt Medal" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141311 Accessed: 2024-03-28 15:56:09

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141311 |title=Honourable East India Company's Egypt Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-28 15:56:09|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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