In April, 2002, a few days after the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, her crown was taken from behind its ultra-high security armored glass in the Tower of London and carried in open view through the streets of London, surmounting her coffin as it processed from St. James' Palace to Westminster Hall. It remained there during her lying-in-state as members of the public filed past to pay their final respects to the last Empress of India.
An Addition to the Crown Jewels
The Queen Mother had only worn this crown once, 65 years earlier, at the Coronation of herself and her husband, George VI, in 1937. The largest and most important jewel in this crown is the priceless Kohinoor Diamond, which had been presented to Queen Victoria in 1850. This followed the British annexation of the Punjab, India after defeating the Sikhs. From that date, the gem became part of the British Crown Jewels.
Discovery and History
The stone was originally found more than 5000 years ago, according to ancient Sanscrit writings. Devout Hindus claim that it was once worn by Krishna but was stolen from him as he lay sleeping. Another legend has it that the diamond was discovered in a riverbed in 3200 B.C.E.
The first reliable evidence of its existence is in the writings of Babur, the founder of the Mogul Empire, who named this diamond as part of the treasure won in 1304. It weighed 793 carats but after it suffered some incredibly bad cutting and polishing by a jeweler, it was reduced to 186 carats. Upon seeing it, Babur was so angy that he considered confiscating the jeweler's worldly goods and executing him as well.
The Mountain of Light
The Kohinoor remained with Mogul Emperors until 1739, when Nadir Shah of Persia conquered India and took it after laying siege to Delhi. According to the story, a member of the Mogul's harem revealed that the diamond was kept hidden in the Emperor's turban. The Shah suggested that he and the Emperor partake in a victory celebration in which the two would exchange turbans. This act would symbolize their eternal friendship. For the Mogul to refuse would have been a great insult to the conqueror and he was forced to comply. Later that night, The turban was unwrapped and Nadir Shah found the gem and cried out, "Kohinoor!" which means "Mountain of Light."
British Conquest of IndiaThe British colonial officials found the gem in 1849 in the treasury of the Punjabi capital, Lahore. They confiscated everything they found as compensation for having to fight against the Sikh army in conquering India.
A Bit of Glass in a Battered, Old Tin Box
Sir John Lawrence, Governor General of India, often told the story of how the Sikhs handed the diamond to him in a plain, old battered tin box which he never opened and he soon forgot about it. Weeks later officials in London asked him if he had any idea where the diamond was. He replied in the negative. Then came a second more urgent request in which London expressed a desire to present the jewel to the Queen. When his reply was still negative, the Prime Minister demanded that the jewel must be found immediately. Finally a servant remembered a "bit of glass in an old tin box." The box turned up in a tool-shed. There it was, bouncing around in the battered box like a loose marble--the most famous gem of India.
The Curse
Over centuries of murder and brutality, the stone had long carried with it a curse that misfortune would always befall its owner, though any woman wearing it would remain unharmed. There was always some talk of whether Queen Victoria would return the stone because of the curse. Defiant as always, she refused to part with the Kohinoor. But the Queen was disappointed at the lack of "fire" in the diamond and decided to have it cut once more to increase its brilliance. She was disappointed with the result since the cutting reduced it size from 186 carats to 109 carats.
In 1937 the stone was mounted in a new crown created for the coronation of Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother) as Queen Consort and Empress of India.
Sikhs, the Rightful Owners?
In October, 1997, Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to India and Pakistan to mark the 50th anniversary of their independence. Many Sikhs in India and Great Britain used this occasion to remind the her of the Sikh connection to the Kohinoor Diamond. They insisted upon the return of the stone, which had been won from them earlier.
The Taliban Claim?
Then in November, 2000, the Taliban regime insisted on the jewel's return to Afghanistan with their claim that the Mogul conquerors originally stole it from that region and took it to India.
The Future of the Jewel
But the British officials now take the view that the multiplicity of competing claims makes it impossible to establish the gem's true ownership. Thus for now, it looks likely to remain one of the jewels in the British Crown. This begs the question, will the fabled curse return to haunt William when he becomes the King?
