World Orders, Decorations and Medals

Cross for Tolosa 1814, blue enamelled Maria Theresa cross, the end of each arm with a gold ball, and in the angles of each arm a crowned column, a sabre and a palm frond crossed, the obverse medallion within a green enamelled wreath inscribed ‘Valor Y Disciplina’ on a white ground, the reverse medallion also within a green enamelled wreath inscribed ‘Batalla de Tolosa Abril 10 de 1814’, one reverse arm chipped, otherwise extremely fine and rare

See illustration

Founded by King Ferdinand VII on 30 January, 1815, and awarded to the men of the Fourth Army for the battle of Toulouse. This battle was fought on 10 April, 1814, Easter Sunday, and was a decisive victory for the Anglo-Spanish army, under the Duke of Wellington, over the French forces under Marshal Soult. It was the final battle of the Peninsula War and was followed by Napoleon’s abdication on April 12.