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Punjab Campaign Medal: CM.1410-2009

An image of Punjab Campaign Medal

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Artist: Wyon, William
Ruler: Victoria regina (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

The city of Multan in the Punjab province of India was taken over by the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century. It thus became part of the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab that was brought under British East India Company control in the First Anglo-Sikh War. It was also the site of considerable Sikh unrest after this defeat, which culminated in April 1848 with the murder of the British Resident in the city.
The ruler of the Punjab at this time was the eleven-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh, around whom a rebellion rapidly coalesced. The British waited until November to respond but then advanced to recover the situation. Engagements were inconclusive and badly handled on both sides, and only the recapture of Multan in January 1849 allowed enough of a force to be concentrated to overwhelmingly defeat Sikh resistance at the Battle of Gujarat the following month. This was followed by the formal annexation of the Punjab to British India.
This medal was awarded to Private Patrick Boylan of the 1st European Fusiliers, and bears bars indicating his participation in both the siege of Multan and the Battle of Gujarat. Lester Watson purchased the piece at some point before 1928.

Notes

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

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.1 mm
Weight: 40.7 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1849

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left

  • Text: VICTORIA REGINA
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: General on horseback receiving Sikhs' surrender before hill topped with palm tree

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1410-2009
Primary reference Number: 141504
Watson Catalogue: 322
Ordering: M-0293
Previous object number: LW.0293
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) "Punjab Campaign Medal" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141504 Accessed: 2024-11-04 20:54:01

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141504 |title=Punjab Campaign Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-04 20:54:01|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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