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The Taj-E-Mah: Taj-e-Mah

By this means Aga Mohammed succeeded at length in getting possession of the bulk of the crown jewels, including both the "Taj-e-Mah" and the "Darya-i-Nur." But the usurper proved no exception to the evil destiny usually attending the possession of these large diamonds. He was himself soon afterwards assassinated by the emissaries of the rival faction at that time contending for the throne of the "king of kings." After his death the murderers handed over all his jewels to Sadek Khan Shekaki, who had been one of his leading generals, but who was suspected of having been privy to the murder. Since then the "Taj-e-Mah" and "Darya-i-Nur" have remained in the possession of the Persian monarchs, and are now set in a pair of magnificent bracelets, which are reputed to be worth about a million sterling. Our authority for this statement, and in fact, for nearly all our historical notes, regarding both the "Taj-e-Mah" and "Darya-i-Nur," is Sir John Malcolm, who visited Persia in an official capacity early in the present century, and who, at an interview with the Shah in Teheran, was allowed to inspect the crown regalia. He thus relates the incident in his Sketches of Persia, published anonymously, 1827:--"The king, at this visit, appeared in great good humour with the Elchi, and gratified the latter by shewing him his richest jewels, amongst which was the 'Sea of Light,' which is deemed one of the purest and most valuable diamonds in the world. Many of the others are surprisingly splendid." Sir John Malcolm adds, 'The 'Darya-i-Nur,' or 'Sea of Light' weighs 186 carats, and is considered to be the diamond of the finest lustre in the world. The 'Taj-e-Mah,' or 'Crown of the Moon,' is also a splendid diamond. It weighs 146 carats. These two are the principal in a pair of bracelets, valued at near a million sterling. Those in the crown are also of extraordinary size and value."

In our account of the "Koh-i-Nur" allusion was made to the horrible practice of gouging out the eyes of political opponents, until recently so prevalent both in Persia and Afghanistan. The indifference with which these frightful cruelties came to be regarded, even by the victims themselves, is well illustrated by the following graphic story of Riza Kuli Khan, related by Sir John Malcolm in the work just quoted. "Riza Kuli Khan, the governor of Kazerun, came to pay the Elchi a visit. This old nobleman had a silk band over his eye-sockets, having had his eyes put out during the late contest between the Zend and Kajar families for the throne of Persia. He began, soon after he was seated, to relate his misfortunes, and the tears actually came to my eyes, at the thoughts of the old man's sufferings, when judge of my surprise to find it was to entertain, not to distress us, he was giving this narration, and that, in spite of the revolting subject, I was compelled to smile at the tale, which in any country except Persia, would have been deemed a subject for a tragedy. But as poisons may by use become aliment, so misfortunes, however dreadful, when they are of daily occurrence, appear like common events of life. But it was the manner and feelings of the narrator that, in this instance, gave the comic effect to the tragedy of which he was the hero. "I had been too active a partizan," said Riza Khan, "of the Kajir family, to expect much mercy when I fell into the hands of the rascally tribe of Zend. I looked for death, and was rather surprised at the lenity which only condemned me to the loss of my eyes. A stout fellow of a feresh (menial servant), came as executioner of the sentence. He had in his hand a large blunt knife, which he meant to make his instrument. I offered him twenty tomams if he would use a penknife I shewed him. He refused in the most brutal manner, called me a merciless villain, asserting that I had slain his brother, and that he had solicited the present office to gratify his revenge, adding, his only regret was, not being allowed to put me to death. "Seeing," continued Riza, "that I had no tenderness to look for from this fellow, I pretended submission, and laid myself on my back. He seemed quite pleased, tucked up his sleeves, brandished his knife, and very composedly put one knee on my chest, and was proceeding to his butchering work, as if I had been a stupid innocent lamb, that was quite content to do what he chose. Observing him, from this impression, off his guard, I raised one of my feet, and, planting it on the pit of his stomach, sent him "heels over head" in a way that would have made you laugh (imitating with his foot the action he described, and laughing heartily himself at the recollection of it). I sprang up, so did my enemy; we had a short tussle, but he was stronger, and, having knocked me down, succeeded in taking out my eyes." "The pain at the moment," said the old Khan, "was lessened by the warmth occasioned by the struggle. The wounds soon healed, and when the Kajirs obtained the undisputed sovereignty of Persia, I was rewarded for my suffering in their cause. All my sons have been promoted, and I am governor of this town and province. Here I am in affluence, and enjoy a repose to which men who can see are, in this country, perfect strangers. If there is a deficiency of revenue, or any real or alleged cause for which another governor would be removed, beaten, or put to death, the king says, "Never mind; it is only poor blind Riza Kuli; let him alone." So you observe Elchi, that I have no reason to complain, being in fact better defended from misfortune by the loss of my two eyes than I could by the possession of twenty of the clearest in Persia," and he laughed again at this second joke."