Kohinoor diamond

2022 - 9 - 20

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Image courtesy of "New Zealand Herald"

Why an entire nation is furious about this pic (New Zealand Herald)

Calls have intensified for the $667 million jewel in the royal crown that sat atop the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during her funeral to be "returned" to ...

"The Kohinoor is the most expensive diamond in the world. on behalf of Bangladesh, I demand it back 'cause we need another Padma bridge," they wrote. I'm pretty sure it was originally found in Lahore therefore belongs to Pakistan," one Twitter user contested. "But, instead of returning the evidence of their rapacity to their rightful owners, the British are flaunting the Kohinoor on the Queen Mother's crown in the Tower of London. The diamond originally belonged to a Hindu temple. "The fact that India have the audacity to say that the Kohinoor belongs to them.

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Image courtesy of "The National"

Indians demand return of Koh-i-Noor diamond after Queen Elizabeth ... (The National)

Indians, Pakistanis, Afghans and Iranians have laid claim to the precious stone, which dates back to the 12th century.

The Pakistan government has also staked a claim to the diamond for several decades. It made a further request in 1953. “Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept it with him his whole life. “The British monarchy isn’t obviously going to give it back. “It was part of the peace treaty of the British and was handed over in the process of the defeat of the Sikhs as one of the spoils going to the victor.” [gifted](https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/india-accused-of-flip-flop-on-koh-i-noor-diamond-1.148014)” to the East India Company by the rulers of Punjab in 1849. [diamond](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/jewels-from-the-crown-of-indias-erstwhile-royalty-1.462828) was later passed to Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary and later to the Queen Mother during the coronation of her husband, George VI, in 1937. While Mr Singh forcefully guarded his jewels during his 50-year reign, the Koh-i-Noor fell into the hands of the British East India Company in 1849, as the empire was lost to British colonisers under the rule of his king, Duleep Singh, who was 10 years old. The Koh-i-Noor is believed to have originally been a 158-carat uncut diamond when it was found in the region and embedded in the statue of the Hindu goddess Bhadrakali in a temple in Warangal. It was his descendant, Shah Shuja Durrani, who brought the stone back to India in 1813 and gave it to Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler, who ruled parts of northern India, with his capital Lahore, located in present-day Pakistan. It was further passed on to the Babur, who founded the Mughal empire in the subcontinent and took over the Delhi Sultanate in the 15th century. For centuries the stone was owned by kings in the Indian subcontinent before British colonisers took it and made it a prized possession of the monarchy.

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Image courtesy of "The Independent"

It is time to put the Kohinoor diamond back where it belongs (The Independent)

But the imperial majestic crown isn't entirely as it appears – for it contains within its bejewelled arches and ornate framework a 105-carat gemstone diamond ...

[where the Mau Mau freedom fighters were tortured](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cabinet-hushed-up-torture-of-mau-mau-rebels-2264955.html). It is a rebuke to all people of colour who have been colonised. History cannot be erased, but returning the diamond might erase the darkness that rises from the imperial crown every time it is wheeled out. It acts as an apologia for the racial supremacy of a (thankfully) crumbled empire, allowing a wounded island post-Brexit to cling onto illusory victories and a misbegotten sense of nationalism. [Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) It represents the spoils of a bygone era. But the imperial majestic crown isn’t entirely as it appears – for it contains within its bejewelled arches and ornate framework a 105-carat gemstone diamond that represents the [brutality and callousness of the British empire](https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/queen-elizabeth-death-racist-abuse-twitter-b2166204.html). Of what use is it now in the hands or on the head of the Queen Consort? [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. And it will do in perpetuity until it rightly leaves British shores. That Queen Elizabeth comported herself with remarkable grace and admirable conduct while on the throne, devotion to the public and an almost tangible sense of serenity, good humour and compassion, is without question. She was reserved within her role, when she could have done much more.

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Image courtesy of "The Latch"

Former Subjects of the British Empire Are Demanding Their ... (The Latch)

That's the diamond currently sitting in the Crown of the Queen Mother at the Tower of London. The 105-carat gemstone is one of the largest diamonds in the world ...

Since 2000, Britain has had a treaty with Australia to increase the repatriation of Indigenous property back to its rightful owners. “We don’t call for its return, as this implies that there was a valid agreement in terms of which the British royal family borrowed the diamond. That’s likely to stir up further controversy and put greater pressure on the British establishment to stop digging their heels on these important matters. The UK and Greece have been in a long-running diplomatic dispute over them ever since. Much of what is contained within the British Museum is contested, not least of all the Elgin Marbles. The Kohinoor (as it’s sometimes spelled) is just one of a number of controversial items currently in the Royal Family’s possession. Having been turned over to British authorities in 1905, when South Africa was still under the rule of the British Empire, its viewed by South Africans as being illegitimately stolen from the country. Upon The Queen’s death ‘Kohinoor’ was soon trending on Twitter as Indian people took to the platform to renew their calls for the diamond back. by the 1800s it was held by Sikh maharajah Duleep Singh – a boy of just 11 years old. The 105-carat gemstone is one of the largest diamonds in the world and has, for decades, been at the centre of international disagreement as multiple nations lay claim to it. From there it passed to various rulers, who often claimed it through bloody conquest, and was taken all over the regions that would become Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Already, Antigua and Barbuda have announced they plan to hold a referendum on leaving the Commonwealth while

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Image courtesy of "Livemint"

South Africa joins wagon, demands Great Star diamond back post ... (Livemint)

As the news of Britain's longest reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II's demise broke, microblogging site saw a bizzare trend- the word Kohinoor was trending ...

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Image courtesy of "NEWS.com.au"

War erupts over Queen's $591m jewel (NEWS.com.au)

Calls have intensified for the $591 million jewel in a royal crown made for King Charles III's grandmother to be “returned” to India.

“The Kohinoor is the most expensive diamond in the world. Kohinoor is a foreign name given to our diamond by invaders and colonialists. on behalf of Bangladesh, I demand it back ’cause we need another Padma bridge,” they wrote. That purple piece was featured atop the late Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin on Monday as billions tuned in to farewell the late monarch. I’m pretty sure it was originally found in Lahore therefore belongs to Pakistan,” one Twitter user contested. New to Flash?

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Image courtesy of "India"

After the death of the Queen, South Africa asked for its 500-carat ... (India)

And now this precious diamond is embedded in the royal wand of Queen Elizabeth. At the same time, according to ABC News, a precious gem of 530.2 carats was ...

In India too, there has been a demand to bring back the Kohinoor. Jungula, a member of the South African Parliament, tweeted that the time has come for the UK to make up for all the damage it has done and return the diamonds, gold and precious stones that have been stolen. Let us tell you that there has been a demand for the return of the Kohinoor diamond from Britain in India for a long time. The Kohinoor was found in South India in the early 14th century. Wuyolwethu Jungula, a member of the South African Parliament, has appealed to citizens of African descent to demand compensation for all the damage done by Britain. The campaign to bring this diamond back to the country has started in South Africa.

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Image courtesy of "Al Arabiya English"

Queen Elizabeth's death sparks renewed demand for return of ... (Al Arabiya English)

After Britain's Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, Indians took to social media to demand the return of the Kohinoor diamond, one of the diamonds set.

The queen benefited from the wealth and enslavement of colonized people and never did anything to rectify that. “The British monarchy isn’t obviously going to give it back. [For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.](https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMOnQlwswi_quAw?oc=3&ceid=US:en&hl=en-US&gl=US) Another user @dineshvelupula wrote: “Now the funeral is over. John Zubryzcki told SBS News, and the gem eventually reached Queen Victoria around 1850. [Queen Elizabeth's coffin lowered into vault ahead of private burial](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/09/19/Queen-Elizabeth-s-coffin-arrives-at-Windsor-Castle-her-final-resting-place) [More than 250,000 queued to see Queen Elizabeth lying-in-state](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/09/20/More-than-250-000-queued-to-see-Queen-Elizabeth-lying-in-state-) [UK man charged with public order offense over Queen Elizabeth coffin incident](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/09/18/UK-man-charged-with-public-order-offense-over-Queen-Elizabeth-coffin-incident) [passed down from Queen Victoria](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties) to Elizabeth II’s Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon to [the late queen](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/09/08/Britain-s-Queen-Elizabeth-dies-aged-96-Buckingham-Pala) herself. [Queen Victoria ](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties)and her consort, Prince Albert, asked for it to be recut, and it was then set in the crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary before being placed on the Queen Mother’s crown in 1937, Time magazine online reported. [acquired by the British ](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties)after 10-year-old Punjab Maharaja Duleep Singh – the last ruler of the Sikh Empire – surrendered his state to the British during the Anglo-Sikh War. [Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/09/08/Britain-s-Queen-Elizabeth-dies-aged-96-Buckingham-Pala), Indians took to social media to demand the return of the [Kohinoor diamond](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties), one of the diamonds set in late monarch’s crown. [diamond’s notoriety](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties) stems from the way in which it was acquired by the British in the late 1840s, author and researcher Dr. [Kohinoor ](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties)diamond is a [105-carat oval-shaped diamond worth around $591 million](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/26/As-India-awaits-return-of-Kohinoor-here-s-the-diamond-s-journey-through-dynasties), according to several news reports, and has been fought over for centuries.

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Image courtesy of "The New Daily"

Countries lay claim over Kohinoor diamond and other crown jewels (The New Daily)

The death of Queen Elizabeth has reignited debate over long-contested items in the crown jewels, including the esteemed Kohinoor diamond.

It has not been used since it was displayed at her funeral in 2002. His son, George VI, wore it at his coronation in 1937, and then the late Queen wore it at hers in 1953. The first request was upon India’s independence in 1947, and the second in the year of the Queen’s coronation. The Kohinoor has remained in British possession since – first worn as a brooch by Queen Victoria, and then in the crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary. It was placed in the crown of the then Queen Elizabeth – our late monarch’s mother – in 1937, to be worn at her husband King George VI’s coronation. Another controversial artefact in the British royal family’s possession is the Great Star of Africa. Early reports indicate the Kohinoor was once in the possession of the Mughal dynasty, before it was taken by the Persians upon invasion in 1739. At 105 carats, the Kohinoor – meaning ‘Mountain of Light’ – is one of the biggest and brightest items in the Crown Jewels, and has been in British hands since 1849. The Kohinoor diamond features in the crown that was worn by the Queen’s late mother. According to the Historic Royal Places website, the Kohinoor was likely mined in the Golconda mines in southern India. The death of the Queen has reignited debate over long-contested items in the Crown Jewels, including the Kohinoor diamond. The British royal family’s collection of Crown Jewels, usually on display in the Tower of London, is valued between £1 billion ($1.7 billion) and £5 billion ($8.5 billion).

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Image courtesy of "The Indian Express"

A 'cursed stone' or 'Mountain of darkness': Why the Kohinoor never ... (The Indian Express)

In the fabled history of the diamond is a lesser-known fact that in 1854 Duleep Singh got the opportunity to personally hand over the diamond he had once ...

“All of the attention on the Kohinoor is limited to the time it arrives in London, during the Great Exhibition and when it is recut. Dalrymple and Anand describe the crown as having been “refashioned from the crown Queen Victoria had worn at Versailles in 1855, its 3000 diamonds had been configured into eight sweeping arches meeting high in a diamond-encrusted globe.” At the front and centre of the crown, the Kohinoor took pride of place. The Kohinoor was to be of key importance to Albert in this regard. “For instance, they put a tent around the diamond and put jets of fire inside so that the diamond shines. “The Kohinoor was cut with an Indian belief that diamonds have a talismanic energy and that they must retain as much of their original size as possible,” he adds. Back in England, while the legends of the Kohinoor were causing much excitement among the press and the public, the manner in which it was acquired by the Company and the treatment of Singh and his mother came under harsh criticism. Prince Albert was particularly enthused about the arrival of the Kohinoor since he could use it for generating further interest in the upcoming exhibition. But what did the diamond mean to the British monarchy who was to possess it as part of the crown jewels? Though stung by the criticism, Dalhousie had to ensure the safe passage of the diamond to England. “For the monarchy, it was not so much the Kohinoor as the idea of owning an important diamond that was of huge significance,” says art historian Siddhartha V Shah. The Kohinoor, however, with the mythology and legacy attached to it, was the most desirable jewel for the imperial ambitions of the Company officials. The monetary value of the treasury exclusive of the Kohinoor was estimated to have been a little short of a million pounds.

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