The Koh-i-Noor changed ownership several more times from the Nadir Shah of Persia in the early 1700s, to Shah Shuja in the early 1800s. When Shah Shuja was overthrown in 1810, he sought refuge in Lahore, India, taking the Koh-i-Noor with him. Shah Shuja (and the Koh-i-Noor) remained under the protection of Raja Ranjit Singh until after the Raja's death, when Punjab came under British control. The Koh-i-Noor remained in the Lahore Treasury until 1848 when, according to the terms of the "Treaty of Lahore", the British East India Company transported the gem to the British Empire.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond was re-cut to 105 carats for Queen Victoria (Empress of India) in 1851 by a stone-cutter from Amsterdam. Using a steam-driven cutting wheel, it took 38 days to complete the cutting. It is now in the Tower of London, where it is set in Queen Elizabeth's crown.
No comments:
Post a Comment