Kohinoor’s journey from India to London is quite interesting.
As per the reports, the precious stone was first mined in the region of present-day Telangana-Andhra from Kollur Mine which was a series of gravel-clay pits on the south bank of the Krishna River in the Golconda Sultanate of India.
The ownership of this stone passed in different hands as and when the power went to. These included Alauddin Khalji, Nader Shah, Ahmed Shah Durrani, Shuja Shah and Ranjit Singh who had the diamond in their possession throughout the course of history. Finally, the British rulers of India procured it from Ranjit Singh’s son Duleep Singh after the second Anglo-Sikh war which ended in 1849.
In fact, the British administrators laid out harsh surrender conditions on the young Duleep Singh including the handing over of the Kohinoor to the Queen of England. As there was no option left, Duleep Singh consented and that was how the diamond passed to the British rulers.
Kohinoor: Its travel story
The transfer of this stone London is quite interesting too. The Governor General, Lord Dalhousie faced the challenges of transporting the world’s most valuable diamond from Lahore to Bombay and to London.
He took gem in a secretive manner than taking it in the midst of a heavily armed convoy. He carried the stone in his own private box and went to Bombay. There he handed over the Kohinoor to Captain William Lockyear who boarded a ship named The Medea which was to be sailed to London on 6th April 1850. He was accompanied by Captain Ramsay, nephew of Lord Dalhousie. In absence of deployment of large security staff, two young Captains proceeded to England for a holiday without carrying anything of great value.
While the Medea was almost wrecked in a storm near Africa, it eventually docked in Plymouth on 30th June after which the Kohinoor was formally presented to Queen Victoria on 3rd July 1850 by the deputy chairman of the East India Company. The date was selected to coincide with the Company’s 250th anniversary.
Ever since then the Kohinoor has been with the British monarch.
Reports said that the person that The Queen Consort Camilla, wife of King Charles will now have the right to wear it.
Now the question is that whether the gem will be returned to its historical owners or not remains uncertain.