Koh-i-Noor : The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond

The first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor, arguably the most celebrated and mythologised jewel in the world. On 29 March 1849, the ten-year-old Maharajah of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the centre of the great Fort in Lahore. There, in a public ceremony, the frightened but dignified child handed over great swathes of the richest country in India in a formal Act of Submission to a private corporation, the East India Compan. He was also compelled to hand over to the British monarch, Queen Victoria, perhaps the single most valuable object on the subcontinent: the celebrated Koh-i Noor diamond. The Mountain of Light. The history of the Koh-i-Noor that was then commissioned by the British may have been one woven together from gossip of Delhi bazaars, but it was to be become the accepted version. Only now is it finally challenged, freeing the diamond from the fog of mythology that has clung to it for so long. The resulting history is one of greed, murder, torture, colonialism and appropriation told through an impressive slice of south and central Asian history. It ends with the jewel in its current controversial setting: in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Masterly, powerful and erudite, this is history at its most compelling and invigorating ' Riveting. This highly readable and entertaining book ... finally sets the record straight on the history of the Koh-i-Noor ' Tarquin Hall, Sunday Times ' Dynamic, original and supremely readable ' Maya Jasanoff, Guardian The first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor, arguably the most celebrated and mythologised jewel in the world. On 29 March 1849, the ten-year-old maharaja of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the centre of the great fort in Lahore. There, in a public ceremony, the frightened but dignified child handed over great swathes of the richest country in India in a formal Act of Submission to a private corporation, the East India Company. He was also compelled to hand over to the British monarch, Queen Victoria, perhaps the single most valuable object on the subcontinent: the celebrated Koh-i-Noor diamond. The Mountain of Light. The history of the Koh-i-Noor may have been one woven together from gossip of Delhi bazaars, but it was to become the accepted version. Only now is it finally challenged, freeing the diamond from the fog of mythology that has clung to it for so long. The resulting history is one of greed, murder, torture, colonialism and appropriation told through an impressive slice of south and central Asian history. It ends with the jewel in its current controversial setting: in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, which was deemed too contentious to be used by Camilla, the Queen Consort, in King Charles's coronation. Masterly, powerful and erudite, this is history at its most compelling and invigorating. The First Comprehensive And Authoritative History Of The Koh-i-noor, Arguably The Most Celebrated And Mythologised Jewel In The World. On 29 March 1849, The Ten-year-old Maharaja Of The Punjab Was Ushered Into The Magnificent Mirrored Hall At The Centre Of The Great Fort In Lahore. There, In A Public Ceremony, The Frightened But Dignified Child Handed Over Great Swathes Of The Richest Country In India In A Formal Act Of Submission To A Private Corporation, The East India Company. He Was Also Compelled To Hand Over To The British Monarch, Queen Victoria, Perhaps The Single Most Valuable Object On The Subcontinent: The Celebrated Koh-i Noor Diamond. The Mountain Of Light. The History Of The Koh-i-noor That Was Then Commissioned By The British May Have Been One Woven Together From Gossip Of Delhi Bazaars, But It Was To Become The Accepted Version. Only Now Is It Finally Challenged, Freeing The Diamond From The Fog Of Mythology That Has Clung To It For So Long. The Resulting History Is One Of Greed, Murder, Torture, Colonialism And Appropriation Told Through An Impressive Slice Of South And Central Asian History. It Ends With The Jewel In Its Current Controversial Setting: In The Crown Of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Masterly, Powerful And Erudite, This Is History At Its Most Compelling And Invigorating. "The first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world....Using original eyewitness accounts and chronicles never before translated into English, Dalrymple and Anand trace the true history of the diamond and disperse the myths and fantastic tales that have long surrounded this awe-inspiring jewel. The resulting history of south and central Asia tells a true tale of greed, conquest, murder, torture, colonialism, and appropriation that shaped a continent and the Koh-i-Noor itself."--From dust jacket. "The first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world ... Using original eyewitness accounts and chronicles never before translated into English, Dalrymple and Anand trace the true history of the diamond and disperse the myths and fantastic tales that have long surrounded this awe-inspiring jewel. The resulting history of south and central Asia tells a true tale of greed, conquest, murder, torture, colonialism, and appropriation that shaped a continent and the Koh-i-Noor itself."--Jacket "The Koh-i-noor is the world's most famous diamond, but it has always had a fog of mystery around it. Now, using previously untranslated Sanskrit, Persian and Urdu sources, and the discoveries of modern gemmologists to reconstruct its original form, William Dalrymple and Anita Ananad blow away the legends to reveal its true history--stranger, and more violent, than any fiction."--From dust jacket