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Army of India Medal: CM.1512-2009

An image of Army of India Medal

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: Calcutta
Issuer: East India Company
Artist: Wyon, William
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Ruler: Victoria regina (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

The numerous campaigns of the forces of the British East India Company were not officially recognised with a medal until 1851. The resulting medal covered battles from 1799 to 1826, so many of those involved were no longer living. Queen Victoria, by whose order the medal was issued and whose bust it therefore carried, was likewise not on the throne for the actions for which it was awarded.
The bar for Bhurtpoor relates to a siege of the city of Bharatpur, capital of the Jat Empire. In 1825 the Rajah of Bharatpur had died, and his infant son been imprisoned by a cousin who then took the throne and began to voice decidedly anti-British sentiments. An initial British decision not to act was taken as weakness, and the usurper gathered a threatening army. British forces were therefore sent to capture the legendarily-impregnable city, which they did at length by mining in January 1826. The infant Rajah was restored, but the ramparts of his city were levelled.
This medal was awarded to Lieutenant George Warren of the European Regiment, who was a Brigadier by the time of its award to him, which has been verified. Brigadier Warren's medal group has come as one into the Watson Collection and the Catalogue considers them as Group 9, but as the pieces are not physically attached they are treated separately here. Lester Watson purchased them as a group from the London dealers Baldwin in 1931.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1931

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.1 mm
Weight: 45.82 g

Place(s) associated

  • Calcutta

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1851

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: Victory seated facing left before palm and war spoils, holding laurel branch and wreath

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1512-2009
Primary reference Number: 141611
Watson Catalogue: 138
Ordering: M-0400
Previous object number: LW.0367b
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Saturday 22 January 2022 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

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) "Army of India Medal" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141611 Accessed: 2024-11-08 16:00:11

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141611 |title=Army of India Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-08 16:00:11|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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