Mexico Expedition Medal (France)

The Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition (French: Médaille commémorative de l'expédition du Mexique) was a French commemorative campaign medal established by decree of French Emperor Napoleon III on 29 August 1863 to recognize military service during the 1862-1863 French intervention in Mexico.

The Mexican expedition was undertaken in 1862 on order of Emperor Napoleon III following a financial dispute with the Republic of Mexico and his personal desire to create a Catholic empire on the continent to counterbalance U.S. influence. On 7 January 1862, approximately 3,000 French soldiers landed at Vera Cruz. Small British and Spanish contingents that were originally part of the adventure preferred to withdraw quickly leaving only the French forces assisted by small numbers of Austrian, Belgian and Turkish troops.

These forces, whose numbers would later rise to approximately 38,000 men, were successively placed under the command of generals Charles de Lorencez, Élie Frédéric Forey and finally François Achille Bazaine.