Who is the real owner of the Koh-i-Noor?

The Koh-i-Noor diamond is officially owned by King Charles III of Great Britain. The diamond was given to his ancestor Queen Victoria. The 1840 peace treaty which ended the Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845-49) specified that the stone was to be given to Queen Victoria. Some other countries now claim ownership, notably India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran because of who owned the stone in the Middle Ages and where it was originally found (in southern India).

How much is the Koh-i-Noor worth?

The Koh-i-Noor diamond has 105.6 carats but its exact value is not known. Due to its historical significance and the desire of many countries to own it, it may truly be said that the diamond is priceless.

Where is the Koh-i-Noor diamond today?

The Koh-i-Noor diamond is set in the front of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, part of the British Crown Jewels. It is kept in the Jewel House in the Tower of London and can be visited by the public.

Who gave the Koh-i-Noor to the British?

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond was given to the British as a condition of the peace treaty which ended the Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845-49) between the victorious British East India Company and the Sikh Empire. A clause of the treaty specified that the stone was to be given to Queen Victoria (r. 1837-1901).

Koh-i-Noor Timeline

Definition

The Koh-i-Noor diamond (also Koh-i-Nur or Kūh-e Nūr) is one of the largest and most famous cut diamonds in the world. It was most likely found in southern India between 1100 and 1300. The name of the stone is Persian meaning ‘Mountain of Light’ and refers to its astounding size - originally 186 carats (today 105.6).

More about: Koh-i-Noor

Timeline

1100 - 1300
Possible period in which the Koh-i-Noor diamond was discovered in the Golconda mines in India.
1526
Likely the first written reference to the Koh-i-Noor diamond in the memoirs of the Mughal emperor Babur.
1526
An alternative theory suggests this date as when the Raja of Gwalior gave the Mughal emperors the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
c. 1650
An alternative theory that the Mughal emprors acquired the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the Kollur mines of the Krishna River.
1739
The Persian leader Nader Shah acquires the Koh-i-Noor diamond after victory over the Mughal Empire and the capture of Delhi.
1747
Ahmad Shah, founder of the Durani Dynasty of rulers in Afghanistan, acquires the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
1813
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, ruler of the Punjab, acquires the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
1849
Following victory in the Anglo-Sikh Wars and as part of the ensuing peace treaty, the East India Company acquires the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Jul 1850
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is presented to Queen Victoria.
1851
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is presented to the public at the Great Exhibition in London.
1852
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is cut into an oval brilliant, reducing its weight from 186 to 105.6 carats.
1902
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is set into the coronation crown of Queen Alexandra.
1911
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is set into the coronation crown of Queen Mary.
1937
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is set into the coronation crown of Queen Elizabeth, consort of George VI.

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