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Great Britain - 1792

Defeat of Sultan Tipoo

Obverse:

Uniformed bust of Marquis Cornwallis left. CAR . MARCHIO CORNWALLIS STRATEGUS ACERRIMUS. (Charles, Marquis Cornwallis, a most active general).

Size:

48 mm.

Reverse:

Cornwallis and his aides standing receiving Sultan Tipoo and his two sons. FAS SIT PARCERE HOSTI. (Let it be right to spare an enemy).

Exergue:

SULTANO TIPPOO DEVICTO / OBSIDES RECIPIT / MDCCXCII. (He receives hostages after defeating Sultan Ti

Vern's Comments:

This is one of the 'incorrectly' dated medals, struck in white metal.

BHM:

AR, AE, AE gilt, WM 48 by C. H. Küchler.
AR R; AE N; AE gilt R; WM RR.
E.P.M. 1890/79.
AM; BMAG; ML; NMA.

Cornwallis, aided by the Mahrattas and Nizam of Hyderabad defeated Tipoo and made him surrender half of his possessions in addition to paying an indemnity of 3030 lakhs of rupees and giving his two sons as hostages. The sons of Tipoo arrived at Lord Cornwallis's camp on the 27th February 1792 and were received by Sir John Kenaway, and afterwards formally delivered to Lord Cornwallis by Gullam Ally Beg, the Sultan's Vackeel and other attendants. An account of the ceremony is in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1792, Vol. II, p. 760.

Some examples of this medal are dated 1793; they are quite as common as those that are correctly dated. The medal also varies slightly in thickness and was restruck after the death of Küchler. See also: J. G. Pollard, 'Matthew Boulton and Conrad Heinrich Küchler', Numismatic Chronicle, 1970 pp. 273-6, No.5 and pp. 314-16.

from British Historical Medals, Volume I, pp. 84-85