Another popular Austro Hungarian campaign medal instituted just after the Franco Prussian War of 1870 / 71 by Emperor Franz Joseph 1st. He instituted it to coincide with his 25th jubilee celebrations of his coronation, 2nd Dec 1873 ( which is inscribed on the rear of the medal ). It was called the 1873 Die Kriegsmedaille…”war medal” & awarded to combatants of major Austro Hungarian campaigns from 1848 ( Franz Joseph’s coronation ) until 1913. Other awards were issued for WW1 & the last medals were issued after the 1900 / 01 Boxer Rebellion where unusually navy personell were awarded the medal as opposed to the majority being issued to soldiers. There are also 2 reports of medals being issued in 1909 to soldiers of previous campaigns.

The campaigns it covered were 1848 / 49 1st Italian War of Independence & also the suppression of The Hungarian Uprising the same year, 1859 Austro Sardinian War, 1864 2nd Schleswig War with Denmark, 1866 Austro Prussian War, 1869 The Insurgency in South Dalmatia, 1878 Occupation of Bosnia Hercegowina & the insurgency of 1882 after the region was de militarized & handed over to civilian administrators, finally the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 / 01 the last campaign to merit the award being issued!

To qualify for the award soldiers had to be involved in one or more battles, it was made of bronze & has the distinct trifold ribbon for Austro Hungarian medals, in fine original condition for its age, a nice addition to a collection of a popular European military dynasty of the Victorian era!