Alexander II. For conquest of the Western Caucasus, 1864.
Silver award medal. Signed by N. Kozin. Integral loop. 28 mm. 16.8 gr. R1. VF. Barac 569; Diakov 720.2; Werlich 99.

Obverse with a left-facing bust of Alexander II with the signature H. KOЗИНЪ Р. (cut by N. Kozin).
Reverse with the dates 1859-1864 within the inscription ЗА ПОКОРЕНІЕ ЗАПАДНОГО КАВКАЗА (for
conquest of the Western Caucasus).

This medal was instituted on 12 July 1864 and some 211.000 silver medals were struck and awarded to generals, commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men of the Army and militia who participated in military operations in the Western Caucasus 1859-1864. The Russian conquest of the Caucasus took place between 1800 and 1864. During this period, Russia expanded its control over the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, modern-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Iran and Turkey. The period of 1859-1864 refers mainly to the war over the territory of Circassia, modern-day Abkhazia, Georgia. Many Circassians were expelled from their homeland and forced to move to the Ottoman empire.

Lit: Baddeley, 458-482; Barac4, 1488; Diakov5, 130-131; Werlich, 51.