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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 1356: ARRIVAL OF THE KOH-I-NOOR.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

ARRIVAL OF THE KOH-I-NOOR.

Considerable excitement was created by the arrival of this magnificent diamond. “The mountain of light,” as its eastern designation means, was valued at two millions sterling, and was the most costly precious stone in the world. A certain Brazilian gem in the crown of Portugal was alone admitted to be a rival. Its discovery was made in the mines of Golconda, and passed into possession of the Mogul emperors from the king of that country. From Delhi it was borne away by the conquering Persian, and when his rebellious subjects assassinated him (Nadir Shah), Ahmed Shah carried away to Affganhistan this treasure. Runjeet Singh obtained it thence by inhospitable and unjust stratagem. At the conquest of Lahore the gem became the property of the British crown. The great diamond at the top of the Russian sceptre weighed a greater number of carats, but was not so beautiful. The arrival of the “glittering carbon” was opportune for the great Exhibition of 1851. Many events of political importance caused less conversation and curiosity than the arrival of this “mountain of light.”