DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1310#0046
OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 35
impress our readers with a "befitting sense of its hign dignity and value, which perhaps
from a mere inspection of the royal relic of Eastern grandeur they might be disposed to
question, we shall give a few particulars with respect to its " ancient and modern history."
The Koh-i-Noor, then, our readers must be informed, is one of the most valuable
diamonds that are known to exist in any part of the globe; two others only are supposed
to be of greater value—the Russian sceptre-diamond, valued at the enormous sum of
.£4,800,000 ! and one belonging to Portugal, uncut, but supposed to be of still greater
value. The Koh-i-Noor, however, has been long celebrated both in Asia and in Europe,
and lays claim to our respect for its traditionary, as well as its historic fame. Hindoo
legends trace its existence back some four or five thousand years, and mention is made
of it in a very ancient heroic poem, called Mahabarata, a circumstance which gives us
reason to suppose that it is the most ancient of precious stones that have come down
to modern times. The poem states that it was discovered in the mines of the south of
India, and that it was worn by Kama, the King of Anga, who was slain in the great
Indian war, the date of which there is good evidence for believing to be in the year 3001
before Christ, consequently nearly five thousand years ago. A long silence then takes
place on the subject of this jewel, which is not again mentioned in fable or in history till
fifty-six years before Christ, when it was stated to have been the property of the Rajah
of Nij ay in, from whom it descended to the Rajahs of Malwa, and was possessed by them
until the Mahommedans overthrew their principality, and swept away this priceless gem,
and other spoils of immense value from the subjugated territory. The Mahommedans,
in their turn, were obliged to bow their necks to their fierce invaders, for we find that in
the beginning of the fourteenth century, they were constrained to yield up the territory
they had won, the noble diamond and all their spoil, to the victorious armies of Ala-adin,
the Sultan of Delhi, in whose dynasty the diamond remained for a lengthened period.
The modern history of this precious stone may be said to commence about two hun-
dred years ago, when an eminent French traveller, skilled in diamond lore, visited India
with the object of effecting purchases in those matters, and being favourably received at
the court of Delhi, he was allowed to inspect the imperial jewels, and the account he
gives of the one that surpassed all the rest in size and beauty, warrants the supposition
that the diamond he describes was actually the great Koh-i-Noor. "We next trace it to
the possession of J3aber, the Mogul emperor, through the right of conquest, and event-
ually to that of the ruling family of Kabul. Nadir Shah, on his occupation of Delhi in
1739, seized upon all that the imperial treasury contained, and also compelled his poor
vanquished foe, Mahommed Shah, who wore this precious gem in the front of his head-
dress, to exchange turbans with him, pretending to do so in testimony of his exceeding
friendship and regard. It was at this period that it obtained the name of the Koh-i-Noor.
After Nadir's death, it is generally believed that Ahmed Shah, the founder of the Abdali
dynasty, prevailed on the young son of Nadir Shah to show him the diamond, and then
kept possession of it, the youth having no means to enforce its restoration. The sub-
sequent history of this diamond is free from all doubt and mystery; it descended to the
successors of Ahmed Shah, and when Mr. Elphinstone was at Peshawur, be saw it on
the arm of Shah Shoojee, surrounded with emeralds. The fortune of war drove the
unhappy Shah to seek the hospitality of Runjeet Singh, who treacherously made him
his captive, and partly through importunity, and partly through menace, in the year
1813, wrested from him his diamond, presenting the wronged monarch with a paltry
sum in alleged consideration. So that after all, the gem has in it the greatest possible
flaw, that of having been dishonestly obtained,—■
" Asleep and naked as an Indian lay,
' An honest factor stole his gem away;"
impress our readers with a "befitting sense of its hign dignity and value, which perhaps
from a mere inspection of the royal relic of Eastern grandeur they might be disposed to
question, we shall give a few particulars with respect to its " ancient and modern history."
The Koh-i-Noor, then, our readers must be informed, is one of the most valuable
diamonds that are known to exist in any part of the globe; two others only are supposed
to be of greater value—the Russian sceptre-diamond, valued at the enormous sum of
.£4,800,000 ! and one belonging to Portugal, uncut, but supposed to be of still greater
value. The Koh-i-Noor, however, has been long celebrated both in Asia and in Europe,
and lays claim to our respect for its traditionary, as well as its historic fame. Hindoo
legends trace its existence back some four or five thousand years, and mention is made
of it in a very ancient heroic poem, called Mahabarata, a circumstance which gives us
reason to suppose that it is the most ancient of precious stones that have come down
to modern times. The poem states that it was discovered in the mines of the south of
India, and that it was worn by Kama, the King of Anga, who was slain in the great
Indian war, the date of which there is good evidence for believing to be in the year 3001
before Christ, consequently nearly five thousand years ago. A long silence then takes
place on the subject of this jewel, which is not again mentioned in fable or in history till
fifty-six years before Christ, when it was stated to have been the property of the Rajah
of Nij ay in, from whom it descended to the Rajahs of Malwa, and was possessed by them
until the Mahommedans overthrew their principality, and swept away this priceless gem,
and other spoils of immense value from the subjugated territory. The Mahommedans,
in their turn, were obliged to bow their necks to their fierce invaders, for we find that in
the beginning of the fourteenth century, they were constrained to yield up the territory
they had won, the noble diamond and all their spoil, to the victorious armies of Ala-adin,
the Sultan of Delhi, in whose dynasty the diamond remained for a lengthened period.
The modern history of this precious stone may be said to commence about two hun-
dred years ago, when an eminent French traveller, skilled in diamond lore, visited India
with the object of effecting purchases in those matters, and being favourably received at
the court of Delhi, he was allowed to inspect the imperial jewels, and the account he
gives of the one that surpassed all the rest in size and beauty, warrants the supposition
that the diamond he describes was actually the great Koh-i-Noor. "We next trace it to
the possession of J3aber, the Mogul emperor, through the right of conquest, and event-
ually to that of the ruling family of Kabul. Nadir Shah, on his occupation of Delhi in
1739, seized upon all that the imperial treasury contained, and also compelled his poor
vanquished foe, Mahommed Shah, who wore this precious gem in the front of his head-
dress, to exchange turbans with him, pretending to do so in testimony of his exceeding
friendship and regard. It was at this period that it obtained the name of the Koh-i-Noor.
After Nadir's death, it is generally believed that Ahmed Shah, the founder of the Abdali
dynasty, prevailed on the young son of Nadir Shah to show him the diamond, and then
kept possession of it, the youth having no means to enforce its restoration. The sub-
sequent history of this diamond is free from all doubt and mystery; it descended to the
successors of Ahmed Shah, and when Mr. Elphinstone was at Peshawur, be saw it on
the arm of Shah Shoojee, surrounded with emeralds. The fortune of war drove the
unhappy Shah to seek the hospitality of Runjeet Singh, who treacherously made him
his captive, and partly through importunity, and partly through menace, in the year
1813, wrested from him his diamond, presenting the wronged monarch with a paltry
sum in alleged consideration. So that after all, the gem has in it the greatest possible
flaw, that of having been dishonestly obtained,—■
" Asleep and naked as an Indian lay,
' An honest factor stole his gem away;"