condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white
discuss document export feedback print share gallery-landscape xml

medal, campaign

On display
human history
  • Other Name

    French Italian Campaign Medal 1859

    Medaille d'Italie, 1859

  • Description

    French Italian Campaign Medal 1859

    circular silver medal; loose ring suspender; with ribbon

    obverse: laureate head of Napoleon III facing left; legend: NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR within a bound olive wreath

    reverse: legend within bound olive wreath: CAMPAGNE D'ITALIE with date below: 1859; inscription at centre in six lines: MONTEBELLO / PALESTRO / TURBIGO / MAGENTA / MARIGNAN / SOLFERINO

    markings:

    obverse: medallist's name under head: BARRE

    ribbon: red with five narrow white stripes

    medallist: Albert Désiré Barre (Paris 6 May 1818 - 29 December 1878)

  • Place
  • Associated Place
  • Other Id

    N2593 (numismatics)

  • Department
  • Display Room
medal, campaign, N2593, Photographed by: Rohan Mills,… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

Artefact

  • Display location

    Pou Maumahara drawer bank 3, drawer G, medal position 10

  • Credit Line
    Collection of Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, N2593
  • Primary Maker

     Albert Desire Barre (Medallist)

  • Place
  • Date
    [1859]
  • Associated Notes

    French Italian Campaign Medal 1859

    Medal instituted on 11th August 1859, awarded to members of the French expedition into Italy during the 2nd Italian War of Independence.

    The medal lists the following key battles:

    Montebello, 20 May 1859

    Palestro,30 May 1859

    Turbigo, 3 June 1859

    Magenta, 4 June 1859

    Marignan (Melegnano), 8 June 1859

    Solferino. 21-24 June 1859.

    During this war, also referred to as the Franco-Austrian War of 1859, an alliance was formed between the French, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the United Provinces of Central Italy to take up arms against Austria which controlled the regions of Lombardy and Tuscany and Venetia. The key leaders against Austria were Napoleon III, King Vittorio Emanuele II of Sardinia and Guiseppe Garibaldi. The outcome of this phase of the war was the Armistice of Villafranca which came into force on 11th July 1859. Guiseppe Garibaldi then launched his campaign against the Two Sicilies, followed by engagements with Neapolitan forces and the Papal States. The outcome was the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy (containing all of Italy except Venetia and the area around Rome) in March 1861 with Vittorio Emanuel proclaimed as king.

  • Associated Event
    Italian 2nd War of Independence; 1859-1861; Italy
  • Associated Person

     Napoleon III (Medallist)

  • Associated Place
  • Associated Date
    29 Apr 1859-11 Jul 1859
  • Period
  • Signature/marks

    BARRE (medallist's name)

  • Media
  • Measurement Description
    medal diameter: 31.5mm
  • Measurement Reading

    34mm

    40mm

    84mm

  • Classification
  • Last Update
    19 Mar 2024
The development of the Auckland War Memorial Museum online collection is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

The gift of curiosity

With unlimited free entry to all paid exhibitions, discounted event tickets and exclusive Member-only events, a Museum Membership is the gift that keeps on giving year-round.

SEE OPTIONS FROM $60

The gift of curiosity