Medalia “Avântul Ţării”

Medal of the Country’s Upsurge

Instituted on November 07, 1913 by the Royal decree No.6247 to commemorate Romanian victory in The Second Balkan War (June 29 – July 29, 1913). As a result of war that is often called the First national catastrophe in Bulgaria due to its disastrous results, Romania gained Southern Dobruja region (Dobrogea de sud or Cadrilaterul) under the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest.

The medal was awarded to military personnel who took part in the campaign and civilians for merits that led to the victory during the short-termed war.

The obverse bears Romanian eagle with open wings holding a sword in its right claw and a scepter in its left. It has a cross in its beak and the crown on its head. There’s an inscription “Pace” (“Peace”) on his tail. A central circular medallion displays a bust of King Carol I with an inscription “Carol I Rege Al României” (“Carol I, King of Romania”). The legend around the outside of the medal reads “In Amintirea Înălţă Torului Avânt 1913” (“In the name of His Majesty the King 1913”).

The reverse of the medal depicts the figure of Victory with a laurel wreath in her left hand and an olive branch in her right. The goddess is flying above Romanian soldiers crossing the pontoon bridge over the Danube river into Bulgaria. An inscription reads “Din Carpaţi Peste Dunăre La Balcani” (“From the Carpathians to the Balkans across the Danube”).

The medal was made of silver and silvered bronze and measures 33 mm in diameter. The medal is suspended by a garland of laurel leaves. There’s a single letter stamped on the bottom edge of the medal (“C”, “R” or “S”) assumingly denoting the city where the medal was struck. 

The ribbon is blue with alternating orange and yellow short horizontal stripes on each edge.