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Mint:
Birmingham
Artist:
Wyon, Leonard Charles
Artist:
Pinches, John
Ruler:
Victoria (1837-1901)
Ruler:
Victoria regina et imperatrix
(With the title of)
Victorian-period Egypt was technically a dependency of the Ottoman Empire, but in fact the Khedive, Tewfik Pasha, was effectively in the hands of Britain and France, for whom control of the Suez Canal was a strategic necessity. Egypt's shaky economic situation endangering this, in 1879 Britain and France took over government in an arrangement of dual control. This foreign influence was much resented in Egypt, and especially within the army. A Colonel by the name of Ahmad Urabi (Arabi Pasha) became the spearhead of the movement, which launched a coup in 1882. After some international indecision this was suppressed by British arms, and this medal awarded to those involved.
The bars of the medal however relate to a later campaign, against Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad ibn al-Sayyid 'Abd Allah and his allies, who after the proclamation of Muhammad Ahmad as Mahdi (the legendary final redeemer of Islam) in 1881 threatened to remove the Sudan, technically an Egyptian possession, entirely from the Khedive's control. Several serious defeats of Egyptian forces in 1884 led to a concerted British campaign, but despite a victory at El-Teb and another fierce battle at Tamaai, and two engagements at the Red Sea port of Suakim, control could not be recovered. The British withdrew their forces to Khartoum, where General Gordon defended the city whilst awaiting a relief column that, beset by Mahdist attacks, arrived too late.
This medal was awarded to Gunner T. Earle, of the 1st Scots Division, Royal Artillery, for participation in the initial 1882 campaign, but he clearly fought in the 1884-1885 campaign too, earning bars for both Suakim battles and the combined bar for the engagements of El-Teb and Tamaii. Lester Watson acquired his medal 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: 36.1 mm
Weight: 46.35 g
Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester
1882 CE - 1890 CE
Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left with veil
Inscription present: Sphynx on pedestal facing left
Accession number: CM.1220-2009
Primary reference Number: 141314
Watson Catalogue: 114
Ordering: M-0103
Previous object number: LW.0103
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) "Egyptian Medal (1882)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141314 Accessed: 2024-11-08 11:43:54
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141314
|title=Egyptian Medal (1882)
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-08 11:43:54|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://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-141314
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_0103_281_29.jpg"
alt="Egyptian Medal (1882)"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Egyptian Medal (1882)</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
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