East India Company; issuer
George III (1760-1820); ruler; struck in the rule of
Lester Watson Collection
Honourable East India Company's Egypt Medal; denomination
East India Co.; subsubsubseries
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.
Calcutta, mint, place
weight, 47.26, g
diameter, 49.0, mm
loan; 2005; Cambridge in America
Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Gifford 1927.
design; obverse; [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]; Sepoy with flagstaff flying Union Jack before encampment
design; reverse; Ship under full sail right before Pyramids
Watson Catalogue; 111
previous object number; LW.0100
Images of Empire: The British Empire on 19th century medals. 2013-04-23 - 2013-09-29
Organiser: The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (Cambs.), UK
British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959).
Egypt, East India Co. 1801 (Fine die). With suspension and yellow cord. Unnamed; EF condition.
Handbook of British and Foreign Orders, War Medals and Decorations Awarded to the Ar.p. 67
Object Number: CM.1217-2009
(Coins and Medals)
(record id: 141311; input: 2007-03-27; modified: 2013-12-04)