Time Line 30 Facts History about Kohinoor Diamond known as Mountain of light

Time Line 30 Facts History about Kohinoor Diamond known as Mountain of light

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The Kohinoor Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world.

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It is a diamond that was originally 793 carats when uncut and is now a 105.6 metric carats diamond, weighing 21.6 grammes in the most recent cut state, and once the largest known diamond.

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Kohinoor was discovered in the mines of Golconda

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Kohinoor was first reported in 1304 in the ownership of Mahlak Deo, the Raja of Malwa

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The next reference to it can be found in the Babur Nama, the memories of the Mughal emperor Babur.

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According to the Babur Nama records Raja Bikramajit of Gwalior sent all his jewels to the fort of Agra for safe keeping during the Battle of Panipat in 1526.
But Babur succeeded in invading the fort and acquired a diamond weighing 186 carats, presumably given to him to make him happy, as a peshkash or tribute
After that that diamond got the name, gem came to be known as Baburs Diamond

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Another story of Kohinoor how it came to be in the Mughal Treasury

Mir Jumla, a reputed diamond dealer from Persia who was employed by the ruler of Gloconda, Abdullah Qutb Shah, became entangled in an amorous dalliance with Abdullahs mother.
To prevent a scandal he was sent away to oversee the province of Caratic where the famous diamond mines of Golconda were located were located. Here Mir Jumla acquired the Kohinoor diamond.

Around 1656, he visited the court of Shah Jahan and presented the Kohinoor diamond to the Mughal Emperor, and the diamond got the Baburs Diamond, the Kohinoor diamond.

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Later researchers affirmed that Baburs Diamond as a Kohinoor diamond and passed on to subsequent rulers over the next two centuries till it was inherited by Mohammed Shah, the debauched Mughal Emperor.

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At the time of Mohammed Shah, the Mughal dynasty was losing its power, was weak and the same time, a new powerful king was rising in Persia , the Nadir Shah, the king of Persia became very powerful force in the world and was rapidly increasing the boundaries of his country, domain.

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The weak throne of Delhi was a tempting prize and Nadir Shah decided to win the Delhi.
After the historic battle at Karnal in 1738 Nadir Shah stormed into the Mughal capital

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How the Kohinoor Diamond got its name as Kohinoor – The Mountain of light

By 1739 Nadir Shah conquered Delhi he defeated Mohammed Shah, made him his prisoner and seized the vast collection of crown Jewels.

He was eager to see and possess the Kohinoor Diamond he searched everywhere, all the looted treasure he searched but the Kohinoor diamond was nowhere to be found

After many days, a harem woman secretly informed Nadir Shah that the emperor Mohammed Shah always wore Kohinoor in the pleated folds of his turban

On hearing this Nadir Shah devised a plan by which he could obtain the Kohinoor diamond

He invited Mohammed Shah to a feast and between luscious courses, proposed an exchange of turbans in a ceremony of friendship and brotherhood.

Mohammed Shah was rendered speechless but unable to refuse this offer of friendship, he unhappily handed over his turban.

This way Nadir Shah got hold on the Kohinoor Diamond, the Pride of Mughal Emperor

After first time seeing the Kohinoor Diamond he exclaimed Kohinoor
In Persian language Kohinoor means Mountain of light
This is how the most famous diamond in the world acquired its name Kohinoor

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As Nadir Shah acquired the Kohinoor Diamond, it went to Persia as the proud possession of Nadir Shah.

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In 1747 Nadir Shah was murdered in his sleep by his people.
After that Nadir Shahs 14 year old grandson Shah Rukh Mirza inherited his grandfathers pride the Kohinoor

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Shah Rukh Mirza faced many problems and one of his loyal supporter was Ahmad Abadali, an Afghan who had been one of Nadir Shah bravest generals, who ruled his country Afghanistan

As Ahmad Abadali helped lot to Shah Rukh Mirza, Shah Rukh Mirza gifted Kohinoor diamond to Ahmad Abadali

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How Maharaja Ranjit Singh got hold of Kohinoor?

Ahmad Abadali carried the diamond to Afghanistan as part of his wealth.
When Ahmad Abadali died his son Timur became the ruler who on his demise left 23 sons, who fought for the throne

The eldest son Zaman shah and his brother  Shah shuja escaped to Lahore concealing Kohinoor in his belongings  and sought refuge with the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh known as Lion of Punjab

Maharaja Ranjit Singh came to know that the Kohinoor is in a possession of Shah Shuja after that Maharaja Ranjit Singh tried his best to get the diamond from him but Shah Shuja was not ready initially but later unhappily in 1813 he gave the diamond to the Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Maharaja Ranjit wore Kohinoor with pride and pleasure, mounted in an armlet between two smaller diamonds.

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After Ranjit Singh in 1843, Duleep Singh a minor became the new Maharaja

In 1849, British Defeated Maharaja and annexed Punjab and Punjab became part of British rule

He signed the treaty of Lahore which was put him before by Lord Dalhousie, the British Governor General.

The treaty included a clause which stated that the Kohinoor must be handed over to the queen of England

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Lord Dalhousie brought Kohinoor from Lahore to Bombay wrote about the Kohinoor in 1850 that
I ---- never was as happy in all my life as when I got it into the treasury at Bombay It was sewn and double sewn into a belt secured round my waist, one end of the belt fastened to a chain round my neck. It never left me day or night

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The Kohinoor finally sailed from Bombay on April 6, 1850 on the HMS Medea in the safe custody of Captain Ramsay

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On July 3, 1850 it was presented to Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace
The queen ordered Kohinoor to be recut.
This task was assigned to Voorzanger, the foremost cutter of the reputed Dutch firm Coster who travelled to London to commence his work
The process took 38 days

The result was an oval brilliant weighing 108.93 carats, about a 43 percent reduction of the original weight.

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On April 1, 1853 the Kohinoor was finally entrusted to Garrard for setting. It was mounted in a Radiant Tiara that contained 2000 diamonds
The gem was worn by Queen Victoria for 5 years after which it was reset in a circlet.
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The British public was invited to see the Kohinoor which held pride of place at the Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London

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In 1902 Kohinoor was set again in the Imperial Crown for her daughter in law queen Alexandra on the occasion of her coronation

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Again in 1911 it was set for Queen Mary’s coronation in an ornament called the Queen Mars’s Crown

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In 1937 the diamond was the premier jewel in the coronation crown made for Queen Elizabeth.

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Currently it’s said that Kohinoor its weight is ascertained to be 105.60 carats

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After Independence Government of India asked the queen to return the diamond but England declined.

In 1953 again India demanded return of Kohinoor but England declined.

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In 1976, Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto demanded the Kohinoor, but England said No, declined the request of Pakistan government.

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Even today Britain endorses its ownership of the diamond

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Kohinoor is displayed as a symbol of British National Heritage at the Jewel House in the tower of London


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How India can get back the Kohinoor?

Legally it’s disputed who is the real owner.

India needs to defeat the England in war and get it back from the England.

Another way is by Buying the Kohinoor from England, India needs to become so rich that it will become impossible for UK to say No to the sell the diamond.

You like it or not, currently legally England is the owner of Kohinoor

We as Proud Indian’s we should not beg to England to return the Kohinoor to India

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Updated on Tuesday, April 19, 2016
BJP government told to Supreme Court that India should not stake claim to the famed $200 million Kohinoor diamond as "it was neither stolen nor forcibly taken away",

Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the government on Monday told the court that the 105-karat Kohinoor diamond was handed over to the East India Company by Maharaja Duleep Singh.

Right stand by the BJP Government India should never beg for Kohinoor

Hope SC of India will close this case as soon as possible.

Photo of Kohinoor
Queen Alexandra wearing the Kohinoor in her coronation crown. 9 August 1902

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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

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