Despite claims it is 5,000 years old, the first note mentioning it was when it was held by the Rajah of Malwa, India and then a succession of Mogul emperors from 1526? to 1739. But it was not named Koh-i-noor until it came into the possession of Nadir Shah of Persia in 1739.
The British seized it in 1849 from Duleep Singh during the conquest of the Punjab and presented it to Queen Victoria in 1851. In 1852 under the supervision of her consort, Prince Albert, it was cut from 186 to its current 108 carats to increase its brilliance and it was mounted in a tiara with more than two thousand other diamonds.
Like all significant jewels, the Koh-i-Noor diamond has its share of legends. With this stone, it is reputed to bring misfortune to all its male owners.
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