Seringapatam medal

• Name — Seringapatam Medal • Presenter — Honourable East India Company (HEIC) • Type — Campaign medal • Awarded For — Participation in the Battle of Seringapatam, April–May 1799 • Campaign — Part of Fourth Anglo-Mysore War • Established — 1801 • Total Awarded — About 54,000: 113 gold 185 silver gilt 3,636 silver 5,000 bronzed 45,000 tin. • Image2 — * Illustration — x29px • Caption2 — Ribbon of the medal

The 1799 siege and capture of Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore, was the culmination of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. It resulted in the death in battle of Tipu Sultan of Mysore, with Mysore becoming a princely state within British India. The Seringapatam Medal was commissioned by the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) in 1801 to reward all ranks of both the British and Indian armies who contributed to the British victory, including those who set out for the campaign but did not finally take part. This was the first HEIC campaign medal awarded to both Indian and British troops on the same basis. Those eligible included the Swiss mercenary unit, the Regiment de Meuron. The original medal was minted in England in 1801–2, but only sent out to India in 1808, for distribution to dignitaries and to troops from the presidencies of Bombay and Madras. This issue was presented in various metals determined by the rank and status of the participant: in gold to the highest-ranking commanders, Indian princes and other dignitaries; in silver-gilt to intermediate officers including majors and senior HEIC officials; in silver to more junior officers; in bronze to native commissioned and senior non–commissioned officers and to European sergeants and equivalent; and in tin/pewter to corporals and other ranks, both British and Indian. A second issue of the medal was struck in Calcutta, India in 1808 for award to troops of the Bengal Presidency. The Presidency, apparently unaware of the original award criteria, followed the precedent set by the earlier HEIC campaign medals for the Deccan and Mysore and awarded medals in gold to native officers and in silver to native non–commissioned officers and other ranks. Although commonly worn in uniform, formal permission to wear the medal was only granted to officers in HEIC service in 1815, and to members of the British Army in 1851, upon the decision not to grant a separate Seringapatam clasp to the newly instituted Army of India Medal. In addition to the medals, those present received prize money, varying from £100,000 for General Harris, the Commander-in-Chief, and £10,000 to other general officers to £7 for each private soldier.