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| Kohinoor | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kohinoor |
| Weight | 105.6 |
| Carats | 105.6 |
| Color | D–F (near colorless) |
| Cut | Brilliant |
| Origin | Golconda diamond mines |
| Country | India |
| Current location | United Kingdom |
Kohinoor The Kohinoor is a large historic diamond originating from the Golconda diamond mines in south-central India, famous for its role in South Asian and British imperial history. It has been associated with successive rulers of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Empire, and the British Crown, becoming a symbol in disputes involving colonialism, heritage, and diplomacy. The gem's ownership, cutting, display, and contested repatriation have linked it to numerous political figures, dynasties, and institutions across Asia and Europe.
The name derives from Persian and Hindi roots reflecting regional linguistic traditions; Persian literary influence, Mughal court language, and Sikh-era records show usage alongside names appearing in chronicles associated with the Mughal emperors Babur, Humayun, and Akbar. European travelers such as Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and colonial administrators like Lord Curzon recorded variations of the name during visits to the Deccan Plateau, Agra Fort, and the courts of the Maratha Empire. Contemporary historians compare the name to terms in Persian literature, Hindi literature, and inventories compiled under Durrani Empire and Nawab administrations.
Accounts of provenance link the gem to the early modern diamond trade centered on the Golconda Sultanate and later to the Mughal treasury under rulers including Shah Jahan and Nadir Shah. European travelers like Tavernier described large Golconda diamonds sold in the markets of Surat and carried by merchants to Amsterdam and London. The diamond entered Sikh imperial holdings during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh after conflicts with the remnants of the Durrani Empire and regional chieftains. Following the Second Anglo-Sikh War and the annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company, officials including Lord Dalhousie and military officers such as Sir Hugh Gough and administrators in Calcutta negotiated transfer to representatives of Queen Victoria. The jewel's transfer involved colonial legal instruments and the British Crown's accession documents, with subsequent handling by Royal Jewel House and display decisions by curators of the Tower of London.
Early descriptions by travelers like Tavernier and cataloguers in the inventories of the Mughal Empire and the Sikh Empire record a larger, less faceted stone which was later recut in London by lapidaries under instructions from Prince Albert and jewellers associated with the House of Garrard. The recut altered weight and optical properties, producing a brilliant-cut gem with modern facets similar to diamonds in collections of Habsburg and Romanov treasuries. Gemological assessments by scholars connected to institutions such as the Gemological Institute of America compare clarity and color to catalogued Golconda diamonds historically sourced through trading posts in Bombay and Calcutta. The stone's carat loss during the 19th-century recutting involved costs borne by royal advisers and communicated in correspondence with offices in Westminster and Mysore.
The diamond has been woven into iconography of rulers from the Mughal Empire to the Sikh Empire and was displayed in coronation regalia for monarchs like Queen Victoria and King George V. It features in narratives of imperial prestige alongside artifacts such as regalia from the Ottoman Empire and treasures associated with the Nizam of Hyderabad, and has figured in propaganda and literature concerning colonial encounters cited by authors like Rudyard Kipling and historians in the Indian independence movement. Politicians including Jawaharlal Nehru, diplomats in the Commonwealth, and heads of state from Pakistan and Bangladesh have referenced the gem in debates over cultural patrimony and historical justice. Museums and curators at institutions like the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum have contextualized the jewel within imperial collecting practices and provenance studies.
Since the 20th century, claims for return have been made by governments and public figures in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and by descendants of the Sikh Empire and regional rulers documented in archives in Chandigarh and Lahore. Political leaders including Indira Gandhi and cultural ministers during the administrations of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto raised diplomatic notes and public appeals. Legal scholars have discussed treaties, deeds of transfer, and instruments prepared by the East India Company and later parliamentary acts debated in Westminster Hall. Advocacy groups, historians at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and cultural heritage bodies such as the International Council on Monuments and Sites have produced reports arguing for negotiation, while British officials citing parliamentary precedents and property law have opposed compulsory return. The controversy has been addressed in international fora including bilateral discussions involving foreign ministries in New Delhi and London and through media coverage by outlets operating from Mumbai and Lahore.
The gem is part of the collection maintained under the auspices of the British Crown and displayed by institutions operating at the Tower of London alongside the Crown Jewels. Curatorial decisions involve staff from organizations like the Historic Royal Palaces trust and security coordinated with agencies in Westminster and among royal households including residences such as Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace. Exhibitions featuring the jewel have drawn visitors from across the Commonwealth and tourists arriving via transport hubs like Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport, and have been catalogued in museum guides alongside other notable diamonds from Golconda and royal gems sourced through the East India Company trading networks.
Category:Diamonds Category:Indian history Category:British Crown Jewels