IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 141314 accession number: CM.1220-2009 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Monday 15 January 2024 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: 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. title: Egyptian Medal (1882) NOTES ----- type: history note value: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, acquired before 1928 LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Coins and Medals collection: Lester Watson Collection creditline: Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009 STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141314 TECHNIQUES ---------- struck CATEGORIES ------ category: medal DATING ------ creation date: 1882 - 1890 creation date earliest: 1882 creation date latest: 1890 CREATORS -------- maker: Birmingham maker: Wyon, Leonard Charles maker: Pinches, John maker: Victoria (1837-1901) maker: Victoria regina et imperatrix DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Diameter units: mm value: 36.1 dimension: Weight units: g value: 46.35 CITATIONS -------- British Battles and Medals 7th edn British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959) --- IMAGES surrogate: large format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 118 pixels surrogate: mid format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 118 pixels surrogate: original format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 118 pixels surrogate: preview format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 118 pixels surrogate: large format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 120 pixels surrogate: mid format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 120 pixels surrogate: original format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 120 pixels surrogate: preview format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0103_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 120 pixels