Khedive's Star

Khedive's Star
Khedive's Star: obverse and reverse
Awarded by the Khedivate of Egypt
Type Campaign medal
Eligibility Egyptian, British and Indian forces.
Campaign(s) Anglo-Egyptian War
Mahdist War
Statistics
Established 1882
Last awarded 1891
Related Egypt Medal
Khedive's Sudan Medal (1897)
Khedive's Sudan Medal (1910)

Ribbon bar of the medal

The Khedive's Star was a campaign medal established by Khedive Tewfik Pasha to reward those who had participated in the military campaigns in Egypt and the Sudan between 1882 and 1891. This included British forces who served during the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War and the subsequent Mahdist War, who received both the British Egypt Medal and the Khedive's star. Cast in bronze and lacquered, it is also known as the Khedive's Bronze Star.[1]

History

After the outbreak of the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882, the United Kingdom met with opposition from Ahmed ‘Urabi a nationalist and supporter of Egyptian independence. The war strengthened the position of the Khedive of Egypt, Tewfik Pasha, a supporter of the British government,[2] who decided to reward all British and Indian soldiers who took part in the fighting and who had received the British Egypt Medal.[3]

The award of the Star was extended to the subsequent Mahdist War in the Sudan until 1891. When the reconquest of the Sudan recommenced in 1896, the Khedive authorised a new campaign medal.

The Khedive also made a small number of awards of the Star to Egyptian civilians for non-military service.[4]

Description

The medal consists of a five-pointed bronze star darkened by means of lacquer. On the obverse, the center of the star shows an image of the sphinx with the pyramids in the background, all within a ring bearing the word "EGYPT" and the appropriate date, under the corresponding Arabic inscription. The reverse has the monogram of Tawfiq Pasha crowned and surrounded by his Western titration. The suspension bar for the blue ribbon bears a crescent and a star.

There are four variations of the star that correspond to the different campaigns:[5]

For service in the Sudan during the Mahdist War:

  • Dated 1884, operations between 19 February and 26 March 1884, relating to the first Suakin Expedition.
  • Dated 1884-6, operations from 26 March 1884 to 7 October 1886, including the Nile expedition to relieve General Gordon besieged at Khartoum and for the 1885 operations near Suakin.
  • Undated, operations from 1887 to 1891, mainly near Suakin and along the Nile.

In addition, a clasp inscribed Tokar in Arabic only (توكار) was awarded to those present at the action at Tokar on 19 February 1891.

The Tokar clasp

For British forces, the Star is always accompanied by the Egypt Medal, with the exception of service at Tokar in 1891, where the Egypt Medal was not awarded.[6]

Bibliography

  • Mackay, J and Mussel, J (eds) - Medals Yearbook - 2005, (2004), Token Publishing.
  • Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin (eds), British Battles and Medals, (1988), Spink

References

  1. ↑ Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. British Battles and Medals. pp. 164. Published Spink, London. 1988.
  2. ↑ Michael Barthorp. War on the Nile. pp. 26–32. Published Blandford Press, London. 1984.
  3. ↑ "Egypt Medal and Khedive's Star". Durham County Record Office. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  4. ↑ Orders and Medals Research Society Journal, September 2015, page 220
  5. ↑ Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin op. cit., page 165
  6. ↑ Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin op. cit., page 165
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