Koh-i-Noor

The Koh-i- Noor ( " Mountain of Light ", Persian كوه نور [ kuh- ə -nu ː r] ) is a nearly 110- carat diamond (22 g), which is part of the British crown jewels today. The stone is one of the most famous diamonds in the world, although today there are far greater and more valuable the diamond.

Legend

Allegedly, the Koh-i- Noor diamond one still in existence, whose whereabouts can be tracked at the longest. The oldest myth is supposedly over 5,000 years old, as a great jewel was mentioned in a Sanskrit epic. Even Hindu gods bickered, Indian Mythology according to a large jewel. Whether the Koh-i- Noor is one of those old stones, can no longer comprehend. It is believed that its origins in ancient Indian diamond mining area of Kollur in Guntur district is to look at Golkonda.

History

The stone was first mentioned in 1304 as stolen him, the Sultan Ala ud- Din Khalji the Raja of Malwa (India). Then the stone adorned the eye of the peacock in the then world famous magnificent Peacock Throne in Delhi. At the conquest of Delhi in 1739, he fell into the hands of Nadir Shah of Persia. Legend has it that a lady of the harem betrayed the Conqueror that the diamond was hidden in the turban of the Moguls. Then hit the Shah the Mogul at a ceremony before to exchange turbans. This gesture was seen as a symbol of eternal friendship and brotherhood, and a rejection would have been tantamount to an affront. When the Shah wrapped the diamonds from the fabric, he is said to have brought joy Koh-i- Noor.

1747 the Persian Shah was assassinated and the Koh-i- Noor wandered into the treasury of Punjab. When the state was annexed in 1849 of British India, the jewel went over as compensation for the Sikh wars in the possession of the British East India Company.

1850, the cornerstone of Britain's Queen Victoria was awarded the 250th anniversary of the British East India Company. Queen Victoria was the Koh-i- Noor new grind after surprise at his lack of fire was loud. Thus, the formerly 186 - carat diamond was brought to its present size of 108.93 carat ( 21.786 g).

At the coronation of Queen Mary 1911, the Koh-i- Noor was used as the central stone of the Crown and, finally, added to the crown of Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother in 1937.

The Koh-i- Noor can be visited together with the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.