medal
- Museum number
- BNK,EngM.282
- Description
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Pewter medal. (whole)
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Uniformed bust of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, right. (obverse)
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Victory standing between the British lion and the French eagle, the latter attempting to take a victor's wreath from the hand of victory. The lion holds a wreath firmly in its jaws. (reverse)
- Production date
- 1809
- Dimensions
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Diameter: 41.000 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Brown 1980 states:
The battle of Talavera was fought on the 27th and 28th of July 1809 and was probably one of the most important of the Peninsular War. The town of Talavera de la Reina stands on the left bank of the Tagus 42 miles west of Toledo and a hundred miles south-west of Madrid. Wellesley's position on the field was precarious and his troops near to starvation. The French army of some 50,000 men attacked on the afternoon of the 27th, the allied army consisting of 20,000 British supported by 24,000 Spanish. The severity of the attack was in general borne by about 16,000 British and 30,000 French. The main attack by Marshal Victor was repulsed by the English guards who, pursuing the French, thus left their lines open to a counter-attack. Wellesley was fortunately able to bring up other troops who saved the day. The poor condition of the British troops and the severity of their losses which amounted to 6,000 men forbade any pursuit of the enemy but opened up a line of retreat to Portugal. Wellesley's reputation was immensely enhanced as a result of the engagement and caused Baron Jomini, Ney's Chief of Staff, to remark that "this battle recovered the glory of the successes of Marlborough which for a century had declined".
One of Mudie's series of National medals (see Brown 1 p256.1057) issued in 1820. Examples of this medal are believed to have been struck in gold but no specimen has been met with.
Bibliography: Fiala, E. 'Münzen und Medaillen der Welfischen Lande', Prague, 1915, 456; Grueber, H. A. 'Synopsis of the contents of the British Museum Department of Coins and Medals'. A Guide to the English Medals exhibited in the King's Library. London, 1881, 122/545; Mudie, James. 'An historical and critical account of a grand series of National Medals', London, 1820. 16.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Commemoration of: Battle of Talavera, 1809
- Acquisition date
- 1877
- Acquisition notes
- The Bank of England loaned their Collection to the British Museum in 1865 wishing to make it accessible to the general public. This remained as a separate Collection until 1877 when the Bank Directors decided it would be more useful to the museum and the public if incorporated into the national collection. The Bank of England collection was therefore presented to the British Museum in 1877, any duplicates being sold to create a coins and medals purchase fund.
- Department
- Coins and Medals
- Registration number
- BNK,EngM.282
- C&M catalogue number
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MB3 (Brown 1) (165) (673)
