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{{short description|East India medal for loyal Coorgs during 1837 Coorg rebellion}}
{{Infobox military award
|name= Coorg Medal
|image= [[File:Coorg Medal, 1837.jpg|160px]]
|caption= Obverse of the medal depicted on a [[cigarette card]]
|presenter=[[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|30px]] the<br>Honourable [[East India Company]] (HEIC)
|type=
|eligibility= Local forces loyal to the HEIC
|awarded_for=
|campaign= [[History_of_Kodagu#British_rule|Coorg rebellion of 1837]]
|status=
|description=
|clasps= None
|established= 1837
|total_awarded=44 gold and 300 silver medals
|image2= [[File:Yellow cord suspension for early medals of the HEIC.png|75px]]
|caption2=Suspension cord for the medal
}}
The '''Coorg Medal''' was awarded by the [[Honourable East India Company]] (HEIC) to local forces who remained loyal during the [[History_of_Kodagu#British_rule|Coorg rebellion]] of 1837.
__NOTOC__
==Criteria==
[[Coorg Province|Coorg]], a small state in Southern India, was annexed into the [[Madras Presidency]] of the British HEIC after the [[Coorg War]] of 1834. In April 1837 a rebellion broke out, but soon ended when many chiefs and local troops gave their support to the British. This medal was awarded to loyal Coorgs who helped suppress the rebellion.<ref name=Mussell/>

The medal was authorised in August 1837 by the [[Governor-General of India]]<ref>Steward, page 94</ref> on the recommendation of Colonel [[Mark Cubbon (army officer)|Mark Cubbon]], the local HEIC [[Divisional commissioner (India)|Commissioner]],<ref>Mayo, Vol II, page 531.</ref> with the cost met from [[prize money]] obtained from the rebels.<ref>Mayo, Vol II, page 532.</ref> The medals were despatched to Coorg for presentation in November 1839.<ref>Mayo, Vol II, page 537</ref>

The medal was not awarded to all participants, but only to the most senior among the loyal Coorgs, and to others who distinguished themselves.<ref>Duckers, chapter 2</ref> [[Dewan]]s, [[Subedar]]s and other chiefs received the medal in gold (44 awarded), with fourteen of the most distinguished receiving it suspended from a gold chain. Those lesser leaders and [[Ryot]]s (peasant class combattants) who most distinguished themselves received the medal in silver (300 awarded).<ref>Mayo, Vol II, page 532-3.</ref> Europeans, and members of the [[Presidency armies|armies of the Honourable East India Company]] from outside Coorg, were not eligible.<ref name=Mayo1>Mayo, Vol I, page 219-222.</ref>

Other rewards were also presented to selected Coorgs, including gifts of horses to Coorg chiefs, while one Coorg Subedar was presented with a special sword after his own was lost in an attack.<ref>Mayo, Vol II, page 534.</ref>

==Description==
The medal was struck at the [[India Government Mint, Kolkata|Calcutta Mint]] in gold and in silver, with the gold version produced in three thicknesses, reflecting the status of the recipient.<ref name=Mayo1/> All types were just under 2 inches (50 mm) in diameter with the following design:<ref name=Joslin>Joslin, page 103.</ref><br>
The obverse depicts the figure of a Coorg warrior raising a knife in his right hand ready to strike, while his left hand holds a musket. Around the perimeter is the inscription in [[Kannada|Canarese]] script: ''A mark of favour given for loyalty to the Company's Government in suppressing rebellion in the months of April and May 1837''.<br>The reverse shows crossed knives and other Coorg ornaments within a wreath, surrounded by the English language inscription: ''For distinguished conduct and loyalty to the British Government. Coorg April 1837''.<br>The medal was issued unnamed.<ref>Collett, page 65.</ref>

The suspension is a flattened loop, pinned at the base.<ref name=Joslin/> The medal was worn around the neck, with fourteen of the gold medals awarded to more senior officers and chiefs worn from a chain, the remaining gold and all silver medals worn suspended from a cord.<ref name=Mayo1/>

Although specimens in bronze or copper are known, they were not issued and may be later copies.<ref name=Mussell>Mussell, page 122.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|22em}}

==Bibliography==
* Collett, D.W, ''Medals Yearbook'', (1981) Medal Year Book. {{ISBN|0950694312}}
* Duckers, Peter, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=QTQRBQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=coorg&f=false British Military Medals: A Guide for the Collector and Family Historian]'' (2nd ed.), (2013). Pen & Sword Books. {{ISBN|978-1-47383-099-8}}
* Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin (eds), ''British Battles and Medals'', (1988). Spink & Son, London. {{ISBN|978-0-907605-25-6}}
* Mayo, John Horsley, ''[https://archive.org/details/medalsdecoration01mayouoft/page/219 Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Volume I]'', (1897). A. Constable & Co.
* Mayo, John Horsley, ''[https://archive.org/details/medalsdecoration02mayouoft/page/530 Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Volume II]'', (1897). A. Constable & Co.
* Mussell, John W. (ed) – ''Medals Yearbook – 2015'', Token Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1-908-828-16-3}}
* Steward, William Augustus, ''[https://archive.org/details/warmedalstheirhi00stewrich/page/94 War Medals and Their History]'', (1915). Stanley Paul & Co, London.

==External links==
*[http://www.medals.org.uk/united-kingdom/united-kingdom281.htm British Army Medals: Coorg Medal]
{{Campaign medals of the Honourable East India Company}}
[[Category:British campaign medals]]
[[Category:Medals of the Honourable East India Company]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1837]]

Coorg Medal - Revision history

Bot at 11:03, 1 December 2022