Commemorative Medal of the Campaign in China
Italian decoration for Boxer Rebellion and China occupation service.
The Commemorative Medal of the Campaign in China was a decoration granted by the Kingdom of Italy to personnel who served in the 1900–1901 military campaign of the Eight-Nation Alliance during the Boxer Rebellion. A later variant recognized occupation duty in China between 1902 and 1908. Both variants were abolished by the Italian Republic in 2011.
Quick Facts
- Presenter
- Kingdom of Italy
- Eligibility
- Royal Army
- Regia Marina
- and civilian personnel
- Awarded for
- Service in China during the intervention against the Boxer Rebellion in 1900–1901
- Established
- 23 June 1901
- Total awarded
- 2,325
Facts from the source article.
Background
The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-colonialist and anti-Christian movement by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, known as the Boxers, occurring in China from November 1899 to 7 September 1901. It arose as a reaction to Western and Japanese imperialist expansion, including opium merchants, political invasion, economic manipulation, and missionary evangelization. Local organizations in Shantung rebelled in 1898 against both imperialist expansion and internal Qing dynasty problems like fiscal crisis and natural disasters. The Qing initially repressed the rebellion but later tried to use it to expel foreign influence. The Boxers attacked missionary settlements, killing many Chinese Christians. By late May 1900, ships of the British, Italian, and United States navies were off Tientsin, and a multinational armed contingent marched toward Peking.
History
King Victor Emmanuel III established the Commemorative Medal of the Campaign in China by royal decree on 23 June 1901 to commemorate Italian participation against the Boxers in 1900–1901. A royal decree of 23 April 1903 created the China variant for occupation service between 1902 and 1908. The Italian Republic abolished the medal by legislative decree on 13 December 2010, effective 10 February 2011. The medal was minted in Rome and by other contracted companies; 2,325 original medals and 736 China variants were awarded, making it one of the rarest in Italian collecting.
Eligibiity
Eligibility for the original medal covered Italian Royal Army personnel who took part in the 1900 expedition or subsequent embassy protection in Peking during 1900–1901; Regia Marina personnel who served ashore in China; crew of the Oceanic Naval Force or chartered steamers operating north of 22 degrees north latitude; and civilians contributing to military operations. Service after 31 December 1901 was excluded. Royal Decree Number 195 of 21 April 1904 extended eligibility to Regia Marina personnel on the Korean Peninsula after 9 January 1904. A decree of 15 March 1908 set 31 March 1908 as the final eligibility date.
Appearance
The medal was a bronze disc 32 mm in diameter. The obverse bore King Victor Emmanuel III's face facing right, encircled by VITTORIO EMANUELE III RE D'ITALIA, with Regia Zecca under the neck. The reverse showed CINA 1900–1901 surrounded by two laurel branches tied at the bottom. The ribbon was 37 mm wide, yellow-gold with blue edges 3 mm wide and two vertical blue lines 5 mm wide and 10 mm apart. The 1901 decree prohibited wearing the ribbon alone, but Royal Decree Number 470 of 29 July 1906 allowed it. Royal Decree Number 96 of 15 March 1908 established a silver clasp reading CINA 1900–1901 for the original medal's ribbon.
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