We welcome all our dear guests. Among the many beautiful and truly mesmerizing stones, some stand out especially. These include the famous Shah diamond, whose history is marked by more than one tragic event.

The origin of the stone

They discovered a large mineral back in the 16th century, when the next excavations of the now abandoned cops of Golconda, in India, began. It should be noted that a lot of precious stones appeared from there, thundering with their glory all over the world.

Interestingly, the stone is still practically not cut. Only a few sawn edges and there are engravings of the rulers who owned the mineral.

Already in 1591, the stone ended up in the hands of the Indian ruler Burkhan II, thanks to whom the first inscriptions appeared on the precious diamond. Then he ordered to carve letters on it, meaning literally "lord of order."

The most striking thing is that it is not known how long it took the master jeweler to create such inscriptions. After all, it is not for nothing that a diamond is called the hardest in the world; only the same hard mineral is capable of scratching it. This is what our ancestors were capable of.

The Shah diamond (although it is rather a diamond) is currently only slightly polished and has several inscriptions from three Persian rulers. The number of facets of the stone is three, just enough so that one of the notes about who owned it was placed on each. At the moment, the mineral has a mass of almost 89 carats. It is believed that the Shah weighed only a few carats more before cutting.

However, the name of the stone "lord of order" played a fatal role. Already in 1592 Shah Akbar took possession of the mineral and conquered the Burkhan country.

For the duration of the adventure, the diamond ran out. For a long 40 years he had to languish in the treasury until Jihan Shah found a copy. Being the grandson of Akbar, the young man was also an excellent cutter. From under his hand came a second, very skillful and mesmerizing inscription. The value of this mark is further enhanced by the fact that Jihan was a historical figure, the author of the creation of the famous Taj Mahal. This great building was built in honor of the then deceased wife of the ruler of Mumtaz Mahal.

Almost 30 years later, Shah was destined to be lost for almost a century. Dzhihan was overthrown, and the stone was described to the Frenchman Tavernier. Tom had the honor to describe the decoration of the palace, including the throne of the Persian rulers, one of the elements of which was the famous diamond. The Frenchman tells in his memoirs that the great diamond was suspended in such a way as to always find the ruler in sight.

The last inscription and decoding of the diamond inscriptions

The stone was discovered already in the 18th century, when North India was conquered by Nadir Shah. But in the middle of the 18th century, the ruler was overthrown, the diamond passed to Aga-Muhammad-Khan, and then in turn transferred the mineral to his nephew Fath-Ali-Shah. He ordered to create the third inscription on the great stone, when 30 years have passed since the beginning of his reign. The last inscription has become even more elaborate than the previous one.

The decrypted inscriptions read as follows:

• Shah Nizam, 1541 (1000 according to Muslim chronology);
• Shah Jihan, 1641 (1051);
• Fath Ali Shah, 1826 (1242).

That is, at the moment, the stone from the date of the discovery is more than 420 years old, judging by the first inscription.

Almaz Shah in Russia

In the 19th century, Iran was divided by strife that needed to be resolved. Feudal wars, European intervention - all this significantly undermined the state of the country. However, in 1828 Russia managed to defeat Iran and in the signed Turkmanchay peace one of the conditions was the payment of a very serious sum of 20 million rubles at that time.

If you are familiar with the history of that time, then you know that Griboyedov was an active participant in the negotiations on compliance with the terms of the document. But in 1829 he suffered a tragic death in Tehran, which almost became the reason for a new war. As a result, Fath-Ali-Shah ordered his grandson, Tsarevich Khozrev-Mirza, to bring to the territory of Russia the famous Shah diamond, which was one of the gifts for Nicholas I, in order to make amends.

In the same year, the ornate inscriptions on the diamond were translated. You can find their transcript above.

For this, not only the death of the great writer was forgiven, but also the remainder of the debt. Some experts believe that all these are just legends, but this has not been proven for certain. The played out moment of Nikolai's conversation with the general was played out in the film, an excerpt from which you can see below. In it, the sovereign also describes the reasons for such generosity in forgiving debt (that not only the stone was the reason for this, but also the desire to get closer to the conquered state.

At the moment, the stone is still kept in Russia, in the Kremlin. It was not easy to preserve it in the 20th century during all the tragic events that befell the country. Moreover, about 100 years ago, the mineral was described and studied by Firsman, who thoroughly studied all the features of the stone, including its angles, inscriptions, etc.

Other famous stones:

This is the story of the legendary Shah's diamond, which is now carefully preserved in our homeland. Come to our resource more often and learn a lot more new things. See you soon!

Team LubiStones

The Shah diamond is a unique stone, and not only in terms of its properties and beauty, the fact that no mystical legends and traditions are associated with this magnificent diamond, it does not have the fame of a "cursed stone", everything that is known about this stone is pure truth and hard facts. Despite the absence of special secrets and romantic flair, the history of the Shah is very interesting. One of the experts gave a very colorful and expressive description of this stone, according to him the shape of the diamond resembles a coffin in which an eternally living flame rests.

The flawlessly transparent Shah diamond has an oblong shape, a light yellowish-brown hue does not in any way spoil the stone or detract from its value. Experts believe that before processing the stone was heavier than it is now. The Shah diamond weighs 88.7 carats, but may have once weighed around 95.

From the history of stone

The Shah diamond got its name only when it got to Russia, before that it did not have its own name, and if it did, it got lost in the annals of history. The diamond was found in the mines of Golconda in the 16th century, since then, like many other luxurious stones, Shah changed several famous and wealthy owners and, in the end, ended up in the Diamond Fund of Russia, where it is still located.

The surface of the diamond is decorated with engraving in Arabic, the inscriptions were translated, and it became clear that the names of its owners and the years when this stone belonged to each of them were engraved on the stone.

The first inscription contains the name of Shah Burkhan-Nizam. Most likely, the Shah received a diamond as a gift, since there were no diamond mines in Ahmadnagar, which he ruled. The dates on the diamond are given according to the Muslim chronology, when translated into the European format, it turns out 1591. Based on this date, it is easy to assume that the diamond was found a little earlier, however, the exact date of this amazing find is unknown.

Apparently, the Shah diamond was in the hands of Burkhan Nizam for a short time, at about the same time the territory of his state was seized by Shah Akbar, and the Shah diamond, along with elephants and other valuables, passed into the hands of the Greatest of the Great Mughals, Shah Akbar.

The next inscription on the diamond speaks of Akbar's grandson, the Great Mogul Shah Jahan, judging by the date, the luxurious stone was owned by Jahan in 1641. Contemporaries called Jahan the Eternal Mogul, this man went down in history not only as the owner of a magnificent diamond, but also as the builder of the legendary Taj Mahal. In 1660, the Shah passed into the hands of Aurangzeb, who showed him to the famous jeweler Tavernier. These events took place around 1665.

In 1824, the diamond came to Persia, taking its rightful place in the richest treasury of the Persian shahs along with the famous Kohinoor diamond. The third inscription on the surface of the diamond indicates the Qajar-Fath-Ali sultan.

The appearance of a stone in Russia

The Shah diamond came to Russia after the tragic events that took place in Tehran in 1829. Then the famous Russian diplomat Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov and all members of the Russian diplomatic mission were killed in Persia. Persia was defeated in the war with Russia, and the Persians had to sign the Turkmanchay peace, humiliating for them (the author of the treatise, by the way, was Griboyedov himself), giving Russia part of their territories. The death of Griboyedov and the entire Russian mission is a completely different story, but this sad historical fact is directly related to the Shah diamond.

Griboyedov sheltered in the diplomatic mission a certain Armenian who was in the service of the Shah as a eunuch and treasurer, and two Georgian girls who had escaped from the ruler's harem. Under the terms of the peace signed by Persia, Armenians and Georgians were considered subjects of Russia, since the territories of which they came from became part of Russia. The Shah was furious, believing that the eunuch could give the Russians important information and take some of the jewelry with him. He could not personally neutralize the eunuch who had escaped, so he provoked popular unrest directed against the Russians. Religious fanatics defeated the diplomatic mission of Russia, the Cossacks, guards and diplomats who were there were killed.

Shah did not expect such a bloody denouement, initially he hoped that due to the unrest, Griboyedov would be returned to Russia, but events took an unforeseen tragic turn. As a result, Prince Khosrev Mirza was sent to Russia with rich gifts and an apologetic letter, in which the Persians expressed their deepest regret over the events in very ornate wording. Tsar Nicholas I did not give a move, apologies , as well as the gifts, were accepted and a new war with Persia, which was so feared, fortunately, did not begin.

Until the 1917 revolution, the Shah diamond was in the royal treasury; after the revolution, for some time nothing was known about its whereabouts. They started talking about the Shah again in 1922, he was exhibited at the Diamond Fund of Russia as one of the "seven historical gems", where the Shah diamond is still located. In 1971, a collectible stamp depicting the famous diamond was issued in the Soviet Union.

The Shah diamond is a large crystal weighing almost 89 carats, which has an interesting history. Many lovers of diamonds and other gemstones know that not all gems bring happiness to their wearers.

The "Shah" diamond and its connection with the writer Griboyedov

The history of the Shah diamond is connected with the death of one outstanding person - the Russian writer and diplomat Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov.

A bit of history

For many years, gemstones have been a sign of wealth, prosperity and high position in society. For this reason, gems were so prized by rulers, they emphasized their power and position in society.

Diamonds have always occupied a special place; they were used to inlay crowns, attributes of power. They used them as talismans and amulets. If we talk about a stone called "Shah", then it is unique in that there are three inscriptions on its surface with the names of the rulers. In addition, the crystal is different:

• rather large in size;
• lack of cutting;
• transparency.

Particular attention should be paid to the processing of the mineral. The master who worked with the crystal just polished it a little, creating only eight facets on the surface of the mineral.

Also "Shah" has a small notch, which indicates that the stone was worn as a talisman.

Particular attention should be paid to the inscriptions that are on the three sides of the crystal. Even today, the processing of diamonds and the application of inscriptions on their surface is associated with certain difficulties.

Stone surfaces are engraved in three ways. In the process of processing, use:

1. Laser beam.
2. Chemical etching.
3. An electric spark.

In the old days, such technologies were not available to jewelers, but they still managed to put inscriptions on the surface of the hardest mineral on earth. The work of ancient masters admired historians, and thanks to scientific experiments it was possible to find out in what way the names of its owners appeared on the surface of the "Shah".

In the 16th century, it was possible to inscribe the surface of a crystal using a different diamond. Craftsmen also used reagents, using chemical etching as a way to apply letters to the surface of gemstones.

As for the cost of "Shah", it is impossible to name it. The stone was not put up for auction. It was not bought or sold, only given or captured.

The first owner of the "Shah" was the ruler of one of the Muslim states of India Burkhan II. His decision to put an inscription on the stone, immortalizing himself in this way, became defining. So, the first inscription appeared on the crystal. It is made quite roughly, the letters cut deeply into the structure of the mineral.

But Burkhan II did not possess the stone for long, already in 1592 it became the property of the Great Mughals. Shah Akbar, who attacked the Muslim ruler and captured his valuables, hid the diamond in the treasury, where he stayed for about 40 years.

Shah Jahan was a great ruler and grandson of Akbar. He appreciated the diamond that his grandfather kept and made it his talisman. Jahan managed to increase the influence of the Mughal dynasty, he was distinguished by controversial politics and a passion for stones.

The diamond, which in Russia was called "Shah", adorned the canopy that covered the throne of Jahan. The gem was positioned in such a way that the ruler of the Mughal dynasty could watch it continuously.

Shah Jahan's life was filled with love for one woman, his wife. After the death of his wife, the ruler decided to build a tomb, which will not be equal in the entire universe. This is how the Taj Mahal was born.

Jahan's passion for minerals was expressed in the fact that he loved to cut crystals. The ruler locked himself in the workshop and worked precious stones. It was Shah Jahan who ordered the second inscription on the surface of the diamond, which was done very carefully.

But what's a story without tragic deaths and curses? Jahan, despite the fact that he was a pretty good ruler, became a victim of the intrigues of his own son. The heir to the throne did not want to wait for his father to die and vacate the throne. He longed for power, wanted to rule, sit on the throne and own all the treasures of the Great Mughals.

Aureng-Zebu, that was the name of Jahan's son, imprisoned his father in prison, where Jahan remained until he died. Aureng-Zebu tried to extort from his father where the legendary diamond is, but he did not succeed right away.

What can the inscriptions tell?

For centuries, engraving on the surface of a diamond has emphasized the uniqueness of the crystal. The inscriptions applied to the edges of the stone differ from each other. They were done at different times and in different ways.

Everything that is written on a diamond can be easily read, despite the fact that the first inscription was applied to the surface of a crystal back in the 16th century.

Historians had to work a little with such an unusual manuscript, but the "writing" still managed to decipher and translate:

1. The first inscription reads: "Burham-Nizam-shah II" - it was applied to the surface of a diamond in 1591, as experts suggest. The inscription is rough, the letters are deep and have no ornamentation.
2. The second inscription reads: "the son of Jehan-gir-shah Jehan-shah" - according to experts, it was made in 1641. The letters are embossed, neatly executed.
3. The third inscription on the surface of the stone appeared at the beginning of the 18th century; it is the most graceful and has a frame. The inscription reads: "Lord Qajar-Fath Ali-Shah Sultan." Experts say the letters were engraved on the surface of the crystal in 1824.

The engravings are directly related to the owners of the diamond. They could have been applied by chemical etching or using hot iron.

Chemical etching was known to jewelers of the 16th century, but the technology for processing stones in this way was far from ideal. For this reason, experts speculate that the diamond was engraved with letters using a hot iron, or that the surface was scratched with another diamond. Both technologies can be considered difficult to execute, since engraving requires skill, perseverance and titanic efforts from the jeweler.

Involvement in the death of the writer

Initially, a large diamond with several inscriptions had no name. It belonged to the Mughal dynasty, was mined at a mine in India, and then ended up in Russia. It happened at the beginning of the 19th century.

The life of the writer and diplomat A.S. Griboyedov ended tragically, he died in Tehran when an attack was made on the embassy of the Russian Empire.

As punishment for supporting the Decembrists, Nicholas I decided to get rid of the writer dissatisfied with the regime and power. He sent him to a kind of exile, where Griboyedov died. The embassy was approached by two women who were citizens of Russia. They asked the diplomat for protection. Naturally, Alexander Sergeevich fulfilled his duty, he hid the women in the embassy building and refused to hand them over when Muslim fanatics turned to the diplomat.

The brutal reprisal against the ambassadors in Persia shocked Russia. Naturally, the situation was egregious and required a solution. Then the prince of Persia went to Russia to Nicholas I with an expensive gift. He decided to rectify the situation and present a diamond to the emperor. Nikolai accepted the gift and decided not to respond to violence with violence. So the diamond became involved in the deaths of Russian diplomats and acquired a new home.

Today the stone is the property of the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation, it was kept in St. Petersburg for a long time. But during the 1917 revolution he was transported to Moscow.

"Shah" is not associated with a series of murders or atrocities, his story intersects with some events that did not end very well. But in terms of mysticism and mystery, this stone is not good enough. It is difficult to compare it with the Black Orlov diamond or the Hope diamond.

Among the 4000 varieties of stones that are found in nature, those that represent a unique natural formation and have extraordinary beauty stand out. These stones are called precious because of their artistic and material value.

The most expensive gem must match the following criteria flawlessly:

• It belongs to rare specimens (the less common it is in nature, the more valuable it is).
• Possess incredible beauty (shine, shimmer, have a deep color).
• Be durable (as a relic passed from generation to generation).

Based on this, only a little more than a hundred stones can bear the title "precious".

Elite gems

Among the precious stones, a special place is occupied by the famous stones, which have overgrown with their centuries-old secrets and stories. It is they who are compared with real works of art.

Top most famous:

• Cullinan diamond- translated means "Star of Africa". Initially, when found, it weighed more than 500g (3106 carats), of the defects - only a black speck in the center. Because of the cracks that were discovered, it was decided to break it up into parts. As a result, 9 large stones and 96 small fragments were obtained. The largest specimen (530 carats) is encrusted in the scepter of Edward VII. The second largest - took its rightful place on the crown of Britain. The cost is 400 million dollars.
• Graff Pink- a pink diamond, a stone of impeccable beauty and rarity, weighing 24.78 carats. The cost is determined in the region of 45 million dollars
• Sapphire "Millennium"(Millennium) leaves a lasting impression, it cannot be confused with any other stone. Its dimensions are simply gigantic, almost the size of a soccer ball, weighing 61,500 carats. At the same time, 130 portraits of famous personalities are carved on it. This miracle is up for sale on condition that the buyer puts it in the public domain. The price bracket hovers around $ 180 million.
• Aquamarine "Don Pedro" beautiful and stunning stone weighing 10363 carats. The unusual iridescent edges of the obelisk over 35 cm in height are mesmerizing. This is the merit of the cutter, who for about a year created a masterpiece from an initial stone weighing 45 kg, polishing it. It is on display at the National Museum in Washington DC. The original cost is indicated by a seven-digit number in dollar terms.
• The Hope Diamond (from English - Hope). The largest blue diamond, weighing 45.42 carats, cut in the shape of a pillow. He has several names, the most popular - "Blue French", "French blue", "Blue Tavernier". A distinctive feature is the ability to change the color to flame red under special conditions. The cost is estimated at 350 million dollars. Stored in the USA, at the National Museum of Natural History.
• Diamond "Shah". Elongated, with a yellowish tone, not cut, only polished. A groove is cut at one end for suspension use. It is the pride of the Diamond Fund in the Kremlin, where you can admire it.
• Ruby "Timur". One of the mysteries of this stone is that it is not a ruby. It is a rare mineral, a relative of the stone. Its cutting date varies around the 5th century BC. On its edges there are inscriptions mentioning all the owners.
  Timur's ruby ​​is in storage at Buckingham Palace.
• Diamond "Red Shield" so rare that the number of jewelers who have seen it is rare. It weighs a little, only 5.11 carats, but thanks to the color this stone acquires real value.
• Diamond "Black Orlov" resembles a half of an egg in shape, it is considered a relative of the Shaha diamond. The historic cut in the shape of a rose makes this stone unique and interesting for posterity, the rarest representative of black diamonds on the planet. Valued in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It is considered the largest copy of the Diamond Fund of Russia.

The most expensive and rarest gems

Gemstones are often not only expensive, but also quite rare natural masterpieces. Because of this, few can admire their unique beauty with their own eyes.

The most expensive and rare are the following stones:

- the king of all stones, thanks to its solid structure and stunning appearance. It often has a yellowish tint. Transparent diamonds are of great value. However, there are also specimens of blue and red shades in the collections, which is a huge rarity. The most expensive diamonds cost about $ 2 billion.

The price is determined by the thickness of mother-of-pearl, shine, shape. The most expensive pearl is considered to be La Peregrina, a classic cream-colored pearl with a perfect pear-shaped shape. It weighs 203 grams and costs $ 12 million.

The most valuable specimen from the very depths of the earth. The color palette ranges from brown to pink. The rarest stones are painted in the color of "pigeon blood". The cost of such rubies is $ 30 million.

The owner of a dense, saturated green color, which does not change its color under artificial light. Emerald "Fura" - weighing 2 kg, was found in Colombia and was estimated at 150 million dollars.

Its signature shine and cornflower blue make you hold your breath while watching the play of edges. Prince Charles gave Princess Diana a ring with a sapphire, which speaks of the nobility and value of this stone. It does not fade, does not change its shades with any color refraction. The darker and lightest shades in cost lose to their counterparts with a pure and bright color. Market price 10-30 thousand dollars per carat.

The most expensive gems, minerals, crystals

There is a myth that the price of precious stones is limited to diamonds, sapphires and rubies. In fact, among the mineral resources of the earth's interior, there are many rare, valuable and beautiful natural formations.

These include gems, crystals and minerals such as:

The uniqueness of the color, the ability to shimmer from blue-green to luscious purple, turns it into a coveted item for collectors. The most expensive stone weighed just over 4 carats and was sold for $ 7 million. Such specimens are found in the USA, Russia, the island of Madagascar.

The most mysterious mineral that has recently allowed itself to be discovered. Possesses a bright green color, has the second name "Imperial". The cost of 1 carat is 20 thousand dollars. It is known that a necklace made of this material, consisting of 27 smallest beads, was auctioned for $ 9.3 million.

A rare mineral of mixed green-blue color. It exists in extremely limited quantities, which affects its cost. Today it is about $ 30,000 per carat.

Quality minerals are bright pink. It is considered quite rare. The cost depends on the saturation and purity of the color, and hovers around $ 5000.

The high price of gemstones is due to a certain combination of uniqueness, beauty and great demand. Particularly valuable specimens are sold secretly privately or are valuables that belonged to the people and are protected by the state.

The Russian diamond fund contains one beautiful and unusual stone - an octahedron-shaped diamond engraved in Persian. The diamond called "Shah" weighing 88.7 carats is not cut, but simply polished, absolutely transparent and has a slight yellowish tint.

This is an unusual diamond with an unusual fate. It was in the hands of brilliant jewelers and was owned by the rulers of several countries. And in 1824 he was brought to Nicholas I from Persia to pay off for the murder of the great author of "Woe from Wit" A.S. Griboyedov ...

In the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin, among the diamond crown of the Russian Empire, the state and the scepter, in which the Orlov diamond sparkles with a coldish blue fire, an elongated stone the size of a little finger is almost imperceptible. An attentive visitor can make out strange letters on it. Ready in this room of miracles for all sorts of miracles, he still will not believe that a nondescript stone was valued at 80 thousand gold rubles. Meanwhile, this is the "Shah" diamond, whose history goes back four centuries. He is a ransom for the blood of A.S. Griboyedov.

The oldest and richest diamond deposits are concentrated on the banks of the Krishna River in India. A yellowish elongated diamond "Shah" was found somewhere here.

According to the rule of Indian craftsmen, the highest quality diamond has peaks, edges, edges in the amount of 6, 8 and 12. They should be sharp, even and straight. In other words, the diamond must have the crystallographic shape of an octahedron - an octahedron (in Arabic "hawai al-mas"). In addition, the stone must be brahmana, that is, absolutely colorless and transparent. The yellowish Shah diamond belongs to the Vaishya variety, and its shape is far from the ideal octahedron. In this regard, he did not stay in the hands of the Hindus and was sold to the ruler of Ahmadnagar, the sultanate on the western coast of the Indian subcontinent.

The sultan of Ahmadnagar was the Muslim Burkhan II. Indian superstitions about diamonds worried him little. But a huge elongated diamond is the finger of Allah! - struck the imagination. In addition, the vast flat facets of the diamond seemed to him the ideal tablets of history on which to immortalize their name. Burkhan II was vain and even appropriated the title of Nizam-Shah, that is, "Lord of Order".

Apparently, a talented, if not brilliant, master worked in Burkhan's court stone-cutting and lapidary workshop. One of the first in the East, he learned to engrave inscriptions on a diamond. We know that diamond is the hardest mineral on earth: nothing can scratch it. How, then, did the nameless master make the inscription on the edge of the octahedron, the hardest edge of the stone? He guessed that only a diamond can scratch a diamond! And so the master covered the octahedral face with a thin layer of wax, scribbled the necessary words on it with a needle. Then he collected diamond dust on the tip of a steel or copper needle soaked in oil and scratched endlessly along the edge. As a result of many days of work, the first inscription appeared. In Russian transcription, it looks like this: "Brkhan sani Nzmshah 1000 snt". The exact translation reads: "Burkhan the Second Nizam-Shah. 1000 year". Since Muslims trace their chronology since the flight of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina (622), the time of the appearance of the first inscription dates back to 1591 from the birth of Christ. In other words, the Shah diamond is 412 years old.

The Shah diamond did not adorn the treasury of Burkhan II for a long time. In the north ruled a formidable neighbor - Shah Akbar from the Mughal dynasty (the Great Moguls were a Muslim dynasty that ruled in India for more than three hundred years (1526 - 1858). Its founder is Babur, a direct descendant of the formidable Timur. Shah Akbar was the grandson of Babur). He was an outstanding statesman, a brave and capable military leader. Without knowing the literacy, he introduced a new religion "din-i illahi" ("divine faith"), in which he eclectically mixed Islam, Hinduism, Parsism and Jainism. He proclaimed himself the head of the new faith, and expanded the boundaries of his state. In 1595, Shah Akbar conquered Ahmadnagar and appropriated most of Burkhan's treasures.

So the Shah diamond became the dynastic regalia of the Great Mughals. For more than forty years he lay in the treasury until he caught the eye of Akbar's grandson, Jihan Shah. "The Lord of the Universe" (as his name is translated) further exalted the state of the Great Mughals. At the beginning of his career, fighting for power, he fought with his father Jihangir Shah, killed his older brother Khosrov and cut out the rest of the contenders for the "Peacock Throne". He built irrigation canals in the Punjab, but at the same time doubled the taxes on his subjects. He led a flexible policy with the Europeans: he allowed English merchants to trade in the country. His life was adorned with love for his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. When she died, Jihan Shah gathered the best masters and ordered to erect a mausoleum, which should not be equal in the Universe. This is how the Taj Mahal appeared - one of the wonders of the world.

The most curious thing is that Jihan Shah combined regal grandeur with the profession of a master cutter. He spent many hours in the court workshop, processing gems with his own hands. Maybe it was he who polished some facets of the Shah diamond in order to increase the transparency and see the water of the stone (Water of the stone is a qualitative indicator of the purity and transparency of diamonds. A stone of pure water is a stone that is completely transparent, without turbidity, inclusions, cracks and other defects. ). He also ordered to cut a second inscription on the edge of the diamond. The inscription transcribed in Russian letters reads like this: "Ibn Jhangir shah Jhan shah 1051", which means: "Son of Jihangir-Shah Jikhan-Shah, 1051" (that is, 1641).

The second inscription on the "Shah" diamond is made much more inventive than the first. The unknown master made full use of the ornamental properties of Arabic graphics. The inscription repeats itself rhythmically and gives the full impression of a whimsical and ornate pattern, and not a prosaic text.

Jihan Shah had four sons: Dara, Alamgir, Suja and Murad. Each of them wanted to become the new "ruler of the universe". The massacre began again (and Jihan Shah was still alive). The winner was Alamgir, whose hands were stained with the blood of the brothers. He took the name Aurang-Zeba ("Throne Decoration"). This happened in 1658. Jihan Shah was imprisoned in an Agri fortress, from the windows of which he could admire the Taj Mahal mausoleum. Died "Master of the Universe" in 1666.

In 1665, a European saw the Shah diamond for the first time. It turned out to be the French merchant Jean Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689). He visited India several times, was in Agra and Golconda. For unclear reasons, Aurang-Zeb showed him special favors: he gave him diamonds, gold and gems, allowed him to inspect the palace and the famous "Peacock Throne". Thanks to Tavernier, we know about the historical Indian diamonds, about the inner splendor of the Shah's palace. Fortunately, Tavernier's diaries have been preserved for history, which says that the Shah diamond was constantly in front of Aurang-Zeb's eyes when he sat on the Peacock Throne. An oblong stone hung from a canopy surrounded by emeralds and rubies. At its thinner end, a furrow was made half a millimeter deep, which was covered by a silk thread.

Then the Shah diamond went out of sight of historians for more than a century and a half. He disappeared in India and showed up in Tehran. Huge time and space gaps are filled with the following events.

After Aurang-Zeb, the Mughal empire lost its former power and greatness. Neighboring states grabbed tidbits from it. In 1737, India was invaded by Nadir Shah, the ruler of Iran. In a two-year war, he conquered North India, captured Delhi. The number of looted treasures surpasses all likelihood. The chronicles testify that sixty boxes were filled with diamonds, yachons and emeralds alone. Jeweled sabers, daggers, shields, rings, turban feathers, timpani and armchairs barely fit into twenty-one packs. It took eight camels just to take away the Peacock Throne. "Seeing such treasures," the chronicler exclaimed, "everyone went mad!"

In the forties of the 18th century, uprisings and internecine wars of feudal lords began in the empire of Nadir Shah. As a result of the conspiracy, the despot was stabbed to death in 1747. The struggle for power began. In 1796, the eunuch Agha-Muhammad-Khan became the shah of Iran, who founded the Qajar dynasty. He could not have children, so his nephew Babakhan, who grew up in poverty and misery, became the heir. Before ascending to the throne, Babakhan killed his brother, and then took the name Fath-Ali-Shah. It happened in 1797. Exactly thirty years later, the aged Shah celebrated the anniversary of his reign. In commemoration of this great event, it was decided to inscribe a third inscription on the free edge of the Shah diamond.

Persian stone cutters and cutters were of great experience and skill. The third inscription amazes with the perfection of work, intricate imagination and talent. As if stylized swans with flexible slender necks float on the polished surface of the lake. A masterpiece of ornamentalism reads in Russian transcription as follows: "Shbkran Qajar Fth'li Shah Alstan 1242". Translated, this means: "Lord Qajar Fath-Ali-Shah Sultan, 1242". In our chronology - 1824.

By a strange pattern, the appearance of the next inscription on the diamond precedes turbulent historical events that end with a change of owner.

In the twenties of the XIX century, Iran was weakened by feudal civil strife. He became the object of the colonial expansion of the European capitalist powers. The theater of military operations was located on the land of long-suffering Armenia. Abbas Mirza, the warlike son of Fath Ali Shah, with the help of the British, reorganized the army, introduced regular regiments of sarbaz. However, military happiness smiled at him quite rarely. Russian regiments smashed Abbas Mirza at Kanagir, in Karabakh and on the Araks. He almost lost Yerevan when the soldiers of Fath Ali Shah himself came to the rescue. However, in 1828 Abbas Mirza suffered a complete and final defeat. Iran was forced to conclude the Turkmanchay agreement, according to which the Russian crown was to receive ten kururs, that is, 20 million rubles in silver. A.S. Griboyedov took part in the development of the terms of the contract. He was also appointed as the Russian envoy (in Persian vazir-mukhtar) in Tehran. The author of the play "Woe from Wit" zealously performed his duty. On January 30, 1829, a crowd of fanatics, roused by the clergy, tore Griboyedov to pieces. The threat of a new war loomed.

The Shah and his entourage were confused. In the spring of the same year, a high embassy headed by Tsarevich Khozrev-Mirza left Tehran for St. Petersburg. Fath Ali Shah, like many eastern rulers, owned a harem, which over the years gave him about a hundred sons. From this number, Khozrev-Mirza was chosen, an intelligent young man of pleasant appearance. The embassy included mirza and beks, healers and poets. They were served by squires, bedclothes, water drinkers, coffee makers and sorbet workers. A special position was occupied by a chest (treasurer), who carried the price of blood - the "Shah" diamond.

In the spring of 1829, the prince reached St. Petersburg. Nicholas I received him with all splendor (a diamond was already working). In response to the florid Persian speech, the Russian emperor said only seven words: "I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion!" At the same time, the last two kururs were forgiven, that is, 4 million rubles in silver.

However, historians believe that the ransom of the death of Griboyedov for the famous diamond is still more a beautiful legend than reality.

On the same evening, in the presence of tsarist officials, the "Shah" diamond was examined by OI Senkovsky. The famous writer and orientalist was the first among Russians to read and interpret the inscriptions on the diamond. (Later, the inscriptions were once again examined by Academician S.F. Oldenburg, a Soviet orientalist).

And Prince Khozrev-Mirza was having fun in Petersburg. He visited theaters, museums, met with women (secular and far from the world). As a result, he fell ill with a certain disease, which in those days was treated with leeches, Spanish flies and mercury (mercury ointment). This was not the last grief of the prince. Five years later, during the struggle for the throne, his eyes were gouged out and he lived the rest of his days blind. Khozrev-Mirze's contemplation of the "Shah" diamond stood at such a price.

In 1898, the following text appeared in the inventory of the Russian crown jewels under number 38/37: "Solitaire (large diamond) Khozrev-Mirza of irregular facet (facet) - 86 7/16 carats. Presented in 1829 by the Persian prince Khozrev-Mirza and delivered to safekeeping from the Minister of the Imperial Court with the letter No. 3802 ".

The "Shah" diamond was kept in the basement safe of the Winter Palace, after the October Revolution, along with other treasures, it was transported to Moscow, to the Kremlin Armory. Here in 1922 it was studied by academician A.E. Fersman, who then wrote a long article. Alexander Evgenievich admired the technique of engraving on an elongated diamond, which was exceptional and incomprehensible in terms of perfection, sharpness, and gracefulness of execution. According to him, the stone has the shape of an elongated prism, blunted at the ends by pyramidal planes. The edges of the octahedron are gently rounded. The widest of them is divided into long narrow bevels, which are well polished (the work of Jihan Shah!). A.E. Fersman measured the angles between the faces, studied the sculpture of the crystal surface.

In the early twenties, the Soviet Republic threw a large number of cut stones onto the diamond market. The value of the supplied diamonds was estimated at 12 million British pounds. De Beers was forced to reduce sales of its own diamonds in order to stabilize prices in the market. It should be noted that even in difficult conditions, the Soviet Republic managed to preserve the Shah diamond and other historical stones (with the possible exception of the Sansi diamond). You can still admire them at the exhibition of the Diamond Fund in the Kremlin.