Silistre Madalyası

The “Silistria Medal” was instituted in 1854 by the Turkish Sultan Abdülmecid I (1839–1861). This campaign medal commemorated the successful defense of the strategically located Bulgarian town of Silistria or Silistra on the Danube. The Turks defended the strategically important fortress from 19 May to 22 June against a Russian army under the renowned engineer general Eduard Totleben.

13,682 gold and silver medals were awarded to the defenders.

The medals have a diameter of 36 millimeters, and the obverse bears the Ottoman sultan’s tughra surrounded by a laurel wreath. The reverse bears either an image of the fortress by the river or a large tower with a flag raised above it. In both cases, “Silistria 1277” is written in Arabic letters beneath the image. Bronze examples are also said to exist of the variant with the tower and flag.

As usual, the ribbon for the medals was salmon red with green edges. All the medals were pierced so that they could be suspended from the ribbon.