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Koh-i-Noor Diamond

Koh-i-Noor

Today, the Koh-i-Noor diamond is part of a richly precious crown of the British Crown Jewels. However, its origins lie far back in the legendary Indian Golconda mines.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond on a drawing in its original setting (1)

Indian Legends about the Koh-i-Noor Diamond

There are numerous myths surrounding the Koh-i-Noor diamond, and it is even suspected that it is a jewel mentioned in the Sanskrit epic. Stories of a dispute between the Hindu gods over a gemstone are also attributed to the Koh-i-Noor diamond.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond owned by Indian rulers

The first reliable evidence of the whereabouts of the Koh-i-Noor diamond dates back to 1304, when the Indian Sultan Ala ud-Din Khalji stole it from the Raja of Malwa. The gemstone was given a place of honor in the Sultan's palace, forming the peacock eye in the world-famous Peacock Throne in Delhi.

In 1526, the Koh-i-Noor diamond became the property of the Indian Moguls; from that time, information comes that it weighed 793 carats. However, it is said that the king's jeweller reduced it to a weight of only 186 carats through a botched cutting process.

The Turban Trick and the Naming of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond

During the conquest of Delhi by the Shah of Persia, Nadar, in 1739, the Koh-i-Noor diamond came into the possession of the conqueror through a ruse. He is said to have found out from a harem lady that the Indian ruler Muhammed Shah was hiding the gem in his turban. In this way, he made use of an old oriental tradition according to which exchanging turbans is a sign of friendship and peace. Muhammed Shah could not possibly refuse this gesture.

When the Persian Shah Nadar later found the diamond in the captured turban, he is said to have exclaimed “Koh-i-Noor”, which means “mountain of light” in Persian – hence the name of the gemstone.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond as part of the British Crown Jewels

The Koh-i-Noor diamond changed hands several times in the course of armed conflicts before it came to the British royal court in 1851. There it was cut again and given its current oval shape with a weight of 105.60 carats. The Koh-i-Noor diamond now enchants with its extremely fine white color and flawless transparency .

However, the dispute over the gemstone continues and both Afghanistan and India are fighting to get the Koh-i-Noor diamond back.

(1) Image source: Wikipedia; "The Crystal Palace and its contents. An illustrated Cyclopedia of the Great Exhibition 1851"

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