102739 | ITALY. Vittorio Emanuele silver Award Medal.

102739  |  ITALY. Vittorio Emanuele silver Award Medal. Instituted 4 March 1865 for the Wars for Italian Independence: 1848/9 campaign against Austria (31mm, 21.72 g, 12h). By Canzini.

 

VITTORIO EMANUELE II RE D'ITALIA, bare head left // GUERRE PER L'INDIPENDENZA E L'UNITÀ D'ITALIA, female personification of Italia standing facing, head left, draped and wearing mural crown, and holding spear and resting hand upon shield. Edge: Plain, but with loop attached at the top, ribbon, and two clasps.

 

Barac 292a, clasp I. Mint State. Rather alluringly toned, with great brilliance in the fields.

 

The Italian Wars for Independence saw the Kingdom of Sardinia eventually succeeding in unifying the various republics and city states of the peninsula (save for the Papal States), with Vittorio Emanuele II, the King of Sardinia assuming the new title of King of Italy in 1861. The first such war in this series of conflicts occurred in 1848-1849, with various factions of the Italian peninsula beginning to unify against the Austrian Habsburgs, who held various domains throughout Italy. Vittorio Emanuele would participate in these skirmishes, and succeeded his father, Carlo Alberto, as the latter believed the former to be able to garner better terms with Austria and continue the fight. This medal was issued for the various participants throughout the wars, with this particular piece being awarded to one who fought in the initial campaigns against Austria.

 

Upload: 1 March 2024.