Koh-i-Noor, the "Mountain of Light" that Witnessed the Dawn and Twilight of Empires and Dynasties
Such precious gems cannot be obtained by purchases; either they fall to one by the arbitrament of the flashing sword, which is an expression of Divine Will, or else they came through the grace of mighty monarchs. The quote referenced above, attributed to Humayun (r.1530-1540), the offspring of Babur (founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent), as documented in Tazikirat-ul-Waqiat or Humayun Nama , authored by his rescuer and water bearer, Jauhar Aftabchi, encapsulates the importance of valuable gemstones in the existence of monarchs and their realms. When Humayun lost his kingdom and sought a safe refuge, he arrived in Rajasthan, where he was met by an envoy of Raja Maldeo of Marwar, who requested the sale of Humayun's most precious diamond. Numerous scholars opine that the diamond referred to here is the Koh-i-Noor. In this context, Humayun made such a remark and declined to sell it. The Persian phrase 'Koh-i-Noor' translates to 'Mountain of Light'...