Miniature oxidised bronze cross pattée alisée, the arms with concentric lines, with laterally-pierced loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central medallion bearing the crowned Bavarian lion on the heraldic Bavarian lozenges, alternately hatched for the heraldic colour azure (blue), within a circular oak wreath; the reverse with a circular central medallion laterally hatched, bearing the date ‘1866’ within a circular oak wreath; diameter 14.5mm (0.57 inch); without ribbon. The decoration was instituted by King Ludwig II on 25 August 1866 ‘as a commemoration of this year’s campaign, for all those who took part and whose efforts placed them in danger (‘zum Andenken an den Feldzug dieses Jahres für alle diejenigen, welche denselben mitgemacht und an seinen Strapazen und Gefahren teil genommen haben’). The decoration was awarded to those who fought in the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 in which Bavaria, like other south German states, was allied with Austria.
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