Origins of the Koh-i-noor Diamond
Whoever owns the Mountain of Light rules the world.
The exact origin of the Koh-i-noor, Mountain of Light, diamond remains lost to history. Legend has said that it was originally obatined by Krishna from Jambavantha, while a more likely scenario is that it was found in a river bed around 3200 BCE. What is known is that it appears for the first time by name in 1526 when Babur mentions that the stone belonged to a Rajah in 1294. From Barbur's posession until it's present day resting place in the Crown Jewels in the London Tower, the Koh-i-noor diamond has passed through many hands as a prize won by each successive conqueror.
The last change of hands for the Koh-i-noor took place on March 29, 1849 when Punjab was conquered and became a part of the British Empire. As part of the spoils of war in the Treaty of Lahore it was stated that
The gem called the Koh-i-Noor which was taken from Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk by Maharajah Ranjit Singh shall be surrendered by the Maharajah of Lahore to the Queen of England.
Once in posession of the British Empire it was decided the 186 carat diamond didn't sparkle enough and it was recut to 105.602 carats. Then it was set in a tiara, with more that two thousand other diamonds, by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria. The stone was finally placed into the crown of Queen Elizabeth.
Since 1976 claims have been made to the British government to have the Koh-i-noor returned to Pakistan. Additional claims have been made by India, the Taliban in Afghanastan and Iran. Siting the inability to determine a true ownership trail teh diamond remains in the Tower of London.
The Curse
There is a tradition that goes with the Koh-i-noor diamond that stats that any man who possesses the diamond will die a bloody and violent death while any woman that posesses it will be protected. The constant battles that have caused the stone to change hands so many times may give some credence to that curse.
More Information
Check out Famous Diamonds for a much more detailed historical account of the Koh-i-noor diamond.
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