The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Author: Andrew Heavens

Theodore’s sword and scabbard

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A hunting sword and scabbard, said to belong to the emperor, presented to Major-General Sinclair by Queen Victoria

Where: The Royal Armouries Collection, Armouries Dr, Leeds LS10 1LT

The database entry includes close-up photos, showing an engraving that reads: “The sword of King Theodore of Abyssinia Presented to Major-General Sinclair R.A.M.C. by Her Majesty Queen Victoria”.

Bibliographic References
F. Wilkinson, ‘A royal sword?’, Royal Armouriesd Yearbook, 4, 199, pp. 80-85, incl. fig. 2 (sword and scabbard, overall), figs 3, 4 & 5 (dets resp. of maker’s name, blade and inscription on scabbard locket).

Details:
Date: 1831-1870
Object Number: IX.1291

Provenance
Transferred from Hove Museum 3 April 1956.

Other Ethiopian items in the collection that are not specifically labelled as coming from Magdala:

Posted In Military | Said to belong to Tewodros | The Plunder | Weapons
Tagged

Emperor’s shield collected by Speedy

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A shield said to belong to Emperor Tewodros and “collected” on the expedition by intelligence officer Captain Speedy.

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry includes a picture and describes a “composite shield, circular, of leather with elaborate metal ornamentation all over the front”. It adds: “Said to be King Theodore’s shield. See also Af1912,0410.28.”

Details
Museum number Af1939,09.1
Height: 51 cm
Width: 51 cm
Depth: 15 cm
Acquisition notes Collected by Capt.T.C.Speedy in Abyssinia during British Expedition, 1867-68.
Donated by: Mrs Henry Perrin Previous owner/ex-collection: Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia Previous owner/ex-collection: Capt Tristram C S Speedy
Acquisition date: 1939

Posted In Military | Said to belong to Tewodros | Shields | The Plunder
Tagged

Framed letter bearing the great seal of King Theodore and a lock of his hair

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

Theodore’s hair and letter in National Army Museum

100023Database entry: Framed letter bearing the great seal of King Theodore and a lock of his hair taken after death, 1868 (c).

This lock of hair was taken from the body of the Coptic Christian King of Abyssinia, Tewodros II (or Theodore) following his defeat and subsequent suicide. The king had seized a number of European hostages and in April 1868 Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier’s army stormed his stronghold at Magdala to rescue the hostages.

NAM Accession Number
NAM. 1959-10-71-1

Copyright/Ownership
National Army Museum Copyright

Location
National Army Museum, Army gallery

Object URL
https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1959-10-71-1

Posted In Magdala - Ethiopia
Tagged

Coptic Cross finial ‘obtained from an Abyssinian soldier at Magdala’

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: An Ethiopian Orthodox cross – possibly taken from the top of a church

Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT

This is possibly a cross from the top of an Ethiopian Orthodox church – there is no image in the database and it is not on show.

The database entry describes: a “Coptic Cross finial, 1868 (c); Abyssinian iron cross with trefoil lozenge points to cross, cut from sheet metal, with cylindrical stem and rectangular flange at bottom and lower terminal trefoil as on arms; obtained from an Abyssinian soldier at Magdala”.

Detail
1959-10-76

Posted In Crosses | Sacred artefacts | The Plunder
Tagged

Finial in shape of Coptic cross ‘taken from Magdala’

Published June 18, 2024 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A finial in the shape of an Ethiopian orthodox cross

Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT

This is possibly a cross from the top of an Ethiopian Orthodox church – there is no image in the database and it is not on show.

The database entry describes a “Finial, 1868 (c); brass openwork sheetmetal, in the shape of a Coptic Cross, with lozenge profile, taken from Magdala during the Abyssinian Campaign (1868).

Detail
Crafts 1957-02-34

Posted In Crosses | Sacred artefacts | The Plunder
Tagged