French Mexican Intervention Campaign Medal, Emporer Maximiliano

I love these old medals, they represent one of the more ambitious expeditions undertaken by Napoleon III during his reign. An attempt by France to establish a European influenced court in Mexico with the Emperor Maximillian on the throne. It ended in disaster for Maximillian and an enormous expense for France. At any rate, these medals were awarded to the French soldiers and sailors who participated during this campaign. They are of silver and list the French victories on the reverse. The ribbon is an original with an embroidered eagle rather than a printed one. The ribbon has begun to tear a bit and shows wear, but remains basically sound. The French involvement began in 1862 and ended in 1866 with nearly 40,000 soldiers taking part in the campaign. The French suffered the loss of nearly 7,000 men.