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An Overview on Koh-I-Noor Diamond International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-2(5), February, 2016 Impact Factor: 3.075; Email: [email protected] Padmavathi, CH, Lecturer and Head, Dept. of in history, Ideal Degree College, Kakinada, AP diamond which was never bought or sold, but changed many hands. Koh-i-noor has The diamond is more than just left a trail that speaks of greed, power, aesthetically beautiful—it’s an enduring murder, mayhem and unhappiness. symbol of love, romance, and commitment. The stone’s name is derived from the Greek word adamas, which translates to “unconquerable.” This The following timeline & history of the symbolic meaning lends itself well to the Kohinoor details important historical diamond’s historic commemoration of events and dates: eternal love. The earliest diamonds were There were many found in India in 4th century BC, dynasties who owned the Kohinoor although the youngest of these deposits diamond including the Slave dynasty were formed 900 million years ago. A (1206-90), the Khilji dynasty (1290-1320), majority of these early stones were the Tughlaq dynasty (1320-1413), the transported along the network of trade Sayyid dynasty (1414-51), and the Lodi routes that connected India and China, dynasty (1451-1526)These were all brief commonly known as the Silk Road. The reigns ending with war and violence Kohinoor is one of the oldest and most famous diamonds in the world. There was In 1306 the Rajah of Malwa was a period when Indian diamonds were very forced to give the diamond to the rulers famous the world over. These included of the Kakatiya Empire the Koh-i-noor, Orlov, the Great Moghul, Soon after, in 1323, the Kakatiya Darya-i-noor, Indore pears, Shah and Empire fell after a rule stretching from Arcots. These were all part of the 1083 to 1323. The diamond was taken by treasure houses of the great emperors of Muhammad bin Tughluq who became India. Today, they are all in the hands of the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 135 outsiders. The legendary Koh-i-noor has been in the eye of the storm ever since it left the hands of its original owners - a International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-2(5), February, 2016 Impact Factor: 3.075; Email: [email protected] The Kohinoor (Koh-i- Noor) originated from India in Golconda at the Kollur mine and was specifically mine d from the Rayalaseema diamo nd mine (meaning Land of Stones) during the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty. The Kohinoor was then passed from one ruling dynasty to the next. The original name of the diamond was ‘Samantik Mani’ (Prince and leader among diamonds). The diamond came into the Taj Mahal, had the Kohinoor Diamond possession of the Delhi Sultanate which placed into his ornate Peacock Throne consisted of many Muslim dynasties that The Koh-i-Noor changed ownership ruled in India to 1526. During the Delhi several more times until the Mughal Sultanate Muslim armies consisting of emperor Shah Jahan took the throne. In Mongol, Turkic, Persian, and Afghan 1639 a struggle for the Empire started warriors invaded India between his four sons - Dara Shikoh, In 1526 the Kohinoor Diamond Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad passed to the Mughal Empire when the Baksh when brother killed brother. Shah Timurid Prince Babur defeated Ibrahim Shuja executed his brother Dara Shikoh Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans, at the and in then 1658 Aurangzeb defeated First Battle of Panipat. Mughal is the Shuja and Shuja who was tortured to Persian word for Mongol. Babur death together with all his family mentions in his memoirs, the Baburnama, that the diamond had In 1665 Jean-Baptiste Tavernier belonged to an un-named Rajah of Malwa (1605 – 1689), French traveller and pioneer of jewelry and diamond trade The Mughal Empire ruled most of the with India, recorded his experiences in Indian subcontinent for two hundred which he describes a great Mughal years and the Kohinoor passed from one diamond said to be the biggest in the Mughal Emperor to the next. Violence world. It was called the "Great Mogul" by and bloodshed followed these years often Tavernier marked by the sons of the Emperors rebelling and overtaking their fathers In 1739 the Persian King Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1592 defeating their Emperor and stole the – 1666), who was famous for building the great Koh-i-Noor diamond (Nadir Shah is credited with giving the diamond the International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-2(5), February, 2016 Impact Factor: 3.075; Email: [email protected] name it is known by today). The Koh-i- Queen Consorts Queen Alexandra and Noor Diamond was taken to Persia Queen Mary wore the crowns In 1747 the empire of Nadir Shah In 1936, the stone was set into the quickly disintegrated after he was crown of the wife of King George VI, assassinated - the Curse of the Kohinoor Queen Elizabeth (later known as the strikes again? After Nadir Shah's Queen Mother), wife of King George VI: assassination, the diamond passed to his The British Royal family were obviously successors, each were dethroned and aware of the Curse of the Kohinoor - "He ritually blinded (Blinding was used to who owns this diamond will own the render an enemy powerless and make world, but will also know all its him a burden on his community.) misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can 1800 - Ranjit Singh took the wear it with impunity." And from the Empire and possession of the Kohinoor reign of Queen Victoria the Kohinoor diamond. Rajah Ranjit Singh died in 1839 diamond has always gone to the wife of and his successors lacked his bravery and the male heir to the British throne. The vision above history timeline of the Kohinoor diamond details important historical The Sikh kingdom became weak and the events and dates and the legends and British conquered India which became myths that surround the curse of the part of the British Empire and the Koh-i-Noor. British Raj or rule gained control of India from 1858 – 1947 The British Governor-General of India, The final owner was Maharaja Duleep Lord Dalhousie, was responsible for the Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in British acquiring the Koh-i-Noor the backdrop of the two Sikh Wars leading to the annexation of the Punjab 1851 - Dalhousie arranged that the by the British. The hoisting of British Kohinoor diamond should be presented flag was on March 29th, 1849 Lahore by Ranjit Singh's successor, Duleep where Punjab was formally proclaimed a Singh, to Queen Victoria, the Empress of part of the British Empire in India. One India of the terms of the Treaty of Lahore was: “The gem called the Koh-i-noor which 1851 - The Great Exhibition was was taken from Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk by staged in Hyde Park in London when the Maharajah Ranjit Singh shall be Koh-i-Noor was put on view to the surrendered by the Maharajah of Lahore British public to the Queen of England.” Dr Sir John In 1852 Prince Albert ordered that Login was entrusted with two charges: to the Koh-i-Noor diamond to be re-cut from take the Koh-i-noor out of the 186 carats to its current 105 carats thus Toshakhana (the jewel house), and also increasing its brilliance. The Koh-i-Noor the guards manship of the young Duleep diamond was mounted in a tiara with Singh. It was formally handed over to the more than two thousand other diamonds Punjab government of Sir Henry The Koh-i-Noor diamond was then used Lawrence (1806-1857), his younger as the centre piece of the crowns of the brother John Lawrence (afterwards Lord Queen consorts to the British Kings. The Lawrence, the man who in February of International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.3, Issue-2(5), February, 2016 Impact Factor: 3.075; Email: [email protected] 1859 would break ground on the future till it was possessed by Porus, the king of Lahore railroad station), and C.C. Punjab, who retained the diamond after a Mausel. peace treaty in 325 BC when Alexander left India. The diamond was handed to Chandragupta Maurya (325-297 B.C.) Queen Victoria in July 1850. became the next possessor and passed it on to his grandson Ashoka who ruled When Nadir Shah heard of the from 273-233 B.C. Later it slipped into diamond, he decided he wants it in his the hands of Raja Samprati of Ujjain possession. After the diamond was (Ashoka’s grandson). This jewel remained handed to Queen Victoria, it was in the custody of Ujjain and the Parmar exhibited at the Crystal Palace a year dynasty of Malwa. When Ala-ud-din later. But the “Mountain of Light” was Khilji (1296-1316A.D.) defeated Rai not shiny as the other cut gemstones of Ladhar Deo, the ruler of Malwa in 1306 that era and there was a general AD, he acquired the diamond. From this disappointment regarding it. In 1852 the stage up to the time of Mughal Emperor Queen decided to reshape the diamond Babur, the history of this precious stone and it was taken to a Dutch jeweler, Mr is lost once more. Koh-i-noor comes to Cantor who cut it to 108.93 carats. Queen light again in year 1526. Victoria wore the diamond occasionally afterwards. She left in her will that the Humayun is said to have given the stone Koh-i-noor should only be worn by a to the Shah of Persia for giving him female queen.
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