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The Greater Gems in the Jewel House
The Koh-i-Nur or Mountain of Light-Found in the diamond mines of Golconda-Acquired by the Great Mogul Shah Jehan-The Emperor Aurungzebe shows the diamond to Tavernier in 1665-By right of conquest it passes to Nadir Shah, King of Persia, 1739-Betrayed by a lady of the harem-Nadir Shah being murdered, Ahmed Shah, a soldier of fortune, secures the diamond-He founds the Durānni Dynasty at Kabul and leaves the stone to his heirs-Shah Shuja flees to Lahore taking the Koh-i-Nur-Runjeet Singh seizes it as the price of his hospitality-Runjeet Singh being conquered by the British surrenders it to the East India Company-The Company presents it to Queen Victoria, 1850-Valued then at £140,000- Originally 800 carats in weight-Recut under supervision of the Prince Consort and the Duke of Wellington-Now in Queen Mary's Crown-The Black Prince's Ruby-First came into British possession in 1367-Worn by Henry V. in his helmet at Agincourt-Its escape-Again saved from destruction during the Commonwealth-Set in State Crown of Charles II. - The Crown which Colonel Blood attempted to steal-The ruby found in Parret's pocket-The central ornament in the King's State Crown-Its size and appearance-The Star of Africa-The largest diamond ever known-Weight when found about 1 lbs.- Presented by the Union Government of South Africa to Edward VII.-Divided into four great brilliants-The largest portion at head of the King's sceptre-The second largest portion in the band of the King's State Crown-The two remaining portions in Queen Mary's Crown-The value of the Star of Africa-The Stuart sapphire- Belonged to Charles II.- Descended to Cardinal York, who bequeathed it to George III.-In the band of the King's State Crown-Its shape and size-Sapphire of St. Edward-On the King's State Crown-In the Coronation Ring of Edward the Confessor-Its escape from the Commonwealth-Queen Elizabeth's pearls- Their possible history-In the King's State Crown.
THE KOH-I-NUR HIS, the most famous diamond in the world, had a long and tragic history before it became one of the Crown Jewels of England. The name Koh-i-Nur translated is the "Mountain of Light," and the diamond was so named from its peculiar conical shape. To those who lived within sight of the Himalayan Mountains, their crests crowned with perpetual snow, the name was at once suggestive and suitable. The original shape of the stone when it first came into the possession of Queen Victoria may be seen from the model in the Jewel House.