Royal Victoria Badge aka Wolff Medal (Persia)

[James Hoard]

Would anyone have details of the short lived decoration awarded by the British Legation in Persia known as the Royal Victoria Badge?

Apparently the decoration was instituted in 1887 under the authority of the Foreign Office by The Rt Hon Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, GCB, GCMG, British Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Persia 1887-1890. The appearance appears to be - head of Queen Victoria on the obverse, surrounded by 16 sharp rays (long) with 16 sharp rays (short) inbetween. The uppermost long ray attached to an Imperial crown (perhaps the small widow's crown worn by Queen Victoria and shown in her later portraits). The crown attached to a loop suspension. Ribbon - a narrow silk ribbon (similar width to a miniature ribbon), red with blue edge stripes, suspended from a broach. Awarded in three classes, gold, silver and bronze, to Qajar princes, high ranking state officials, legation and consular staff and servants.

 

The FO failed to inform either the Prime Minister, the Government or the Queen beforehand and it was therefore "without authority". However, awards having already been made to several high ranking Persians, cancellation was out of the question because it would have ended up in a diplomatic incident. No doubt, the incident blown up and fully exploited by Britain's then rivals in Persia, the Russians, who were  busy awarding their decorations left, right and centre. Awards continued to be made until 1903, when Lord Hardinge was eventually forced to divulge the whole matter to King Edward VII because a recipient of the first class was about to make an appearance in London in the entourage of the Shah. On hearing about it, the King was said to be 'surprised'. Though I expect fulminations were more usual from him on such matters. He then immediately issued orders that strict instructions be sent to Tehran that no further awards be made.

 

Known recipients that I have found mentioned in various biographies and diaries are as follows:

Lieutenant-General H.E. Shaikh Khaz’al Khan ibn Haji Jabir Khan, Sardar-i-Aqdas, Amir of Mohammerah, GCIE, KCSI - invested in Autumn 1899.

General H.H. Shahzada Nuzratullah Mirza, Amir Khan Sardar - date unknown.

Nawab Mirza Hasan Ali Khan, CIE - date unknown.

Haji Muhammad Ali Behbehani, Rais ut-Tujjar, CIE - 13 January 1903. Prime Minister of Mohammerah. Probably the last recipient.

 

I have never come across an actual physical specimen and have only seen them in black and white photographs. Here are a couple that I could find.

 

Image of the Royal Victoria Badge blown up from the portrait of Prince Nuzratullah, Amir Khan Sardar .

 

Prince Nuzratullah, Amir Khan Sardar wearing the decoration.

Shaikh Khaz’al Khan ibn Haji Jabir Khan, Sardar-i-Aqdas, Amir of Mohammerah wearing the decoration.

Almost any snippet of additional information would be welcome.

[PS: could a moderator be so very kind and cross post this to the section which covers Iran, as I have no idea how to do that. Thanks.]

Edited November 8, 2015 by James Hoard