Gold 1831 Virtuti Militari

[Krakow1]

Here is a gold VM given to russian officers for fighting the 1831 Polish November Uprising. The only difference in the Polish and russian is that the russian one has a 1831 date on the back. This medal has maker mark on suspension ring, cross is hollow, arms of the cross are most likely 14k gold, the eagle and the oval shield of 18k or higher gold content. A fairly rare medal, they were given out between 1831 and i believe 1840. Tsar Nicholas I had abolished Polish VM after the Uprising.

[dastier]

That's sacrilegious giving Russians a Polish award for putting down the Polish November Uprising.

[Krakow1]

Tsar Nicholas I had also abolished two more Polish orders in 1831 after the Uprising: Order of White Eagle established on 1 November 1705 by Polish King August II, and Order of Saint Stanislaus established on 7th May 1765 by Polish King Stanislaw August. Tsar wanted to humiliate the Poles.

[Igor Ostapenko]

polish VM4, but "wounded"