Koh-i-Noor back in the possession of the Mogul Emperors (1600-1739)

The Babur diamond which was gifted to Burhan Nizam in 1547, may have eventually fallen into the hands of the Mogul Emperors, probably during the reign of Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, when Ahmednagar was subdued, either as a gift to the Emperor or as spoil of war. This may be one of the possible ways the Babur diamond, that was gifted to Shah Tahmasp of Persia, by Humayun, eventually returned to the possession of the Mogul Emperors.

Jalal-ud din Muhammad Akbar was the greatest of the Mogul Emperors of India, who ruled from 1556 to 1605. He extended Mogul power over most of the Indian sub-continent, which only a few rulers were able to achieve in the entire history of India. Akbar adopted programs and measures in order to win over the loyalty of the non-Muslim majority of his kingdom, and gradually evolve a non-sectarian state, where all religions were given equal protection, and one could practice freely the religion of his choice. He abolished the Jizya tax imposed on non-Muslims, and banned the forcible conversion of prisoners-of-war to Islam. He appointed Hindus to top positions in the Government, both as advisers and policy makers. He reformed the administration of religious grants, and made them available to learned and pious men of all religions, not just Islam. He took an active interest in other religions, persuading Hindus, Parsis, Christians, as well as Muslims, to engage in religious discussion before him. Even though he himself was illiterate, he encouraged scholars , poets, painters, and musicians, making his court a center of culture. He reformed and strengthened his central administration and centralized his financial system, and re-organized his tax collection process. A detail and exhaustive study of Akbar's 49-year rule, shows that the principles and policies adopted by him in the late 16th century, corresponds with modern principles of statecraft practiced by all secular democracies today.

The Babur diamond that was added to the Crown Jewels of Akbar the Great, was inherited by his successor Emperor Jahangir and later by Emperor Shah Jahaan, the successor to Jahangir. Shah Jahaan had an insatiable passion for building. At his first capital in Agra, he built two great mosques, the Moti Masjid, and the Jami Masjid, and the world renowned mausoleum in memory of his favorite Queen,. Mumtaz Mahal, known as the Taj Mahal. At his new capital in Delhi , he built a huge fortress-palace complex called the Red Fort, and the Jami Masjid, which is among the finest mosques in India today. Shah Jahaan's reign was a period of great literary activity. The arts of painting and calligraphy was also encouraged. His court was one of great pomp and splendor, and his collection of jewels was probably the most splendid in the world. Shah Jahaan had the Koh-i-Noor diamond placed into his ornate Peacock Throne.

When Shah Jahaan fell seriously ill in 1657, a war of succession broke out betwen the designated successor Dara Shikoh, his eldest son, and Aurangzeb, his third son by his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal. Aurangzeb emerged victorious in this war, and placed his father, who had an unexpected recovery from his illness, under house arrest in his own palace at Agra Fort. According to a legend Shah Jahan is reported to have placed the Koh-i-Noor against a window, so that he could look at the stone and see the Taj Mahal reflected in it. The Koh-i-noor remained with Shah Jahaan until his death in 1666. Aurangazeb took possession of the stone together with some other jewels only after Shah Jahaan's death. Perhaps this may be the reason why Jean Baptiste Tavernier did not see a diamond resembling the Koh-i-Noor, when he had the rare privilege of inspecting the Great Emperor Aurangzeb's collection of jewels.

Aurangzeb's 49-year rule ended with his death in 1707. He was the last of the Great Mogul Emperors. After his death, Mogul rule in India began a rapid decline with three emperors ruling within a period of twelve years. They are Bahadur Shah (1707-1712), Jahandar Shah (1712-1713), and Farrukh Siyar (1713-1719). Then followed a relatively stable period when Emperor Muhammad Shah ascended the throne. He reigned from 1719 to 1748. Muhammad Shah inherited all the crown jewels of Aurangzeb.