Every large, pure and famous gemstone is followed by a series of crimes and tragedies. The famous Shah diamond, which is kept in the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin, was no exception.
Blood Diamond Story
This natural gem has impeccable cleanliness. It wasn't even cut. It was simply polished and some owners of the stone left engravings on the edges indicating ownership.
font-size:22px;"> It was found around 1450. The exact location was not revealed due to fears and superstitions. But the mineral comes from India, although at first it was not considered particularly valuable. Indeed, in the Middle Ages in India, the purest transparent stones were valued, and “Shah” has a yellow-brown tint.
In 1738, the diamond was captured Elizabeth's failed fiancé Petrovna Nadir Shah from Persia. And until 1829, the diamond did not leave Iran.
Death of Alexander Griboyedov
In 1828, the famous writer and poet Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov, whose main occupation at that time was diplomatic activity, was appointed ambassador (then called resident minister) to Iran.
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On the way to his duty station, in the fall of 1828, Griboyedov in Tiflis married Nina Chavchavadze, with whom he lived for only a few weeks.
Immediately after arriving in Iran, the Russian mission went to Tehran to officially introduce itself to Feth Ali Shah, the ruler of the country.
font-size:22px;"> And on January 30, 1829, a crowd of religious fanatics attacked the Russian mission building.
font-size:22px;"> The circumstances of the incident are vague, since only one person survived, the embassy secretary Maltsov, who was hiding from the pogromists and did not see what was happening.
font-size:22px;"> 37 people in the embassy desperately defended themselves, but the forces were not equal. Among the dead was the ambassador himself, Alexander Griboyedov, who was identified only by a scar on his hand - a trace of an old duel.
Ransom
In the spring of the same year, Prince Khosrev-Mirza arrived in Russia, he made an official apology to the Russian government for the destruction of the embassy and the death of Griboyedov.
font-size:22px;"> And the Shah diamond remained in the vault of the Winter Palace. After the October Revolution, it was transferred to the treasury of the Diamond Fund, enriching our precious collection.
The Shah diamond is one of the attractions of the Russian Diamond Fund. This diamond is far from the largest in the collection. In terms of weight, it is significantly inferior to the Orlov diamond (189 carats), the Twenty-Sixth Congress diamond (300 carats), the Premier diamond (200 carats), the Star of Yakutia diamond (232 carats) and many other exhibits. But this stone has an unusual history; historians and gemologists never cease to study it; legends and myths are still made about it.
This diamond is unique in that it has inscriptions engraved on it. The engravings that appeared on the jewelry were made in different centuries. The letters did not reduce the value of the diamond at all: on the contrary, thanks to engraving, historians were able to establish the names of its owners.
Diamond "Shah"
The diamond is an elongated octahedron weighing 88.7 carats. The length along the edge is 4 centimeters. Some of the eight facets have been polished, but overall the diamond is uncut and retains its original appearance.
The diamond was found in India in the 16th century on the banks of the Krishna River, near the Golconda diamond fields. According to legend, the stone was found by a young man who gave it to the father of the girl he was in love with. The diamond fell into the hands of one of the Indian rulers. According to Hindu beliefs, an ideal diamond should be colorless and transparent. The diamond had a yellowish tint, which sharply reduced its value in the eyes of Indians.
The jewelry was sold to the south of Hindustan - to the Ahmednagar Sultanate, where Islam was practiced. Muslims valued not only pure diamonds, but also stones of various shades. The yellowness didn't bother them. But the fact that the diamond resembles the finger of Allah was considered a good omen. The stone was named “Finger of Allah”.
Lord Burkhan the Second, who bore the title “Lord of the World,” ordered the inscription “Burkhan the Second Nizam Shah” to be engraved on it. 1000 year." According to Christian chronology, this is 1591.
Burhan did not own the jewel for long. In 1593, the Mughal king Akbar I the Great captured Ahmednagar. Among the many trophies was the “Finger of Allah.”
Half a century later, Shah Jahan I, the grandson of Akbar I, became the padishah of the Mughal Empire. He was an expert in precious stones and even tried to cut them himself. Few people outside India know the name of this ruler. But the monument that he built in honor of his beloved wife is well known - the Taj Mahal mausoleum. Wanting to perpetuate his memory, the Shah ordered the inscription “Son of Jahangir Shah Jahan Shah” to be engraved on the other side of the diamond. 1051" (according to our chronology - 1641).
It was an inscription that was noticeably different from the first. It was made in exquisite script. Unfortunately, the legendary ruler lost power in the country and spent the last years of his life in prison. The throne was seized by force by Alamgir I, the third son of Shah Jahan.
During his reign, the country was visited by the famous French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. The European came to the court of the ruler, who was famous for his power and wealth throughout the entire Hindustan peninsula. Tavernier was even allowed into the Mughal treasury; after a while he compiled detailed description the wealth of the Shah.
From the memoirs of Jean-Baptiste, Europeans learned that precious stones hung above the Mughal throne. In his memoirs, Taverne mentions a stone of 80-90 carats with a groove for a thread. Since the Shah diamond also has a notch along the perimeter, we were talking about this diamond.
Tavernier also writes that the Golconda mines began to be developed in the years 1630-1660. Therefore, there is a version that the diamond could not have been mined in Golconda at all, but at another diamond mine.
The diamond was in the possession of the Mughals for two and a half centuries. In 1739, Nadir Shah of Persia captured Delhi and plundered the Mughal treasury. The diamond stayed in Iran for a little less than a century.
In 1824, the third and final inscription was applied to the diamond, made by order of the second Shah of Iran of the Qajar dynasty, Feth Ali Shah - “Lord of the Qajar Feth Ali Shah Sultan. 1242."
"Shah" in Russia
The reason why the diamond ended up in Russia was the tragedy that took place at the Russian Embassy in Tehran. On January 30, 1829, a crowd of fanatics broke into the embassy and killed all the people there. Among the 37 dead was Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov - writer, author of “Woe from Wit”, ambassador to Persia.
There is a version that two Armenian women from Allayar Khan’s harem were hiding in the embassy. They were subjects of the Russian Empire, and Griboyedov took them under his protection. A crowd of fanatics, incited by Allayar Khan, asked to extradite them, but the ambassador did not agree.
The incident occurred when diplomatic relations were established between Russia and Persia. The grandson of the heir to the throne went to St. Petersburg to apologize. Among other gifts, he gave Nicholas a diamond.
It is noteworthy that in the 19th century the diamond was called completely differently - “Khozrev-Mirza”. He received the name “Shah” after the revolution.
Until 1914, “Shah” was stored in St. Petersburg; in 1914 it was transported to Moscow. Since 1922, it has been in the Diamond Fund in the Kremlin.
In the 20th century, scientists began to study the relic in the hope of finding out how the inscriptions were applied to the diamond. Scientists believe that the engravings could have been applied different ways. The simplest one, known to ancient masters, is diamond on diamond. The edge was covered with a thin layer of wax, and then an inscription was applied to the tip of the needle using diamond dust. The work lasted for months, if not years. Scientists believe that this is how the first inscription was made.
The second two could well have appeared in a completely different way. The temperature required to make an inscription on a diamond can be obtained in a blacksmith's forge. Hot carbon monoxide gas in a closed, heat-resistant vessel with charcoal has restorative properties. They have been able to obtain iron of high chemical purity for a long time - for example, the famous column near the city of Delhi, erected in 415, is made from it.
Thus, all the necessary components for thermochemical processing of diamonds were available in Ancient India, and engraving most likely happened this way. The jeweler cast an iron cliche with a convex negative image of the name of the ruler, which was ordered to be applied to the diamond.
The Shah diamond is a large crystal weighing almost 89 carats, which has an interesting history. Many lovers of diamonds and other precious stones know that not all gems bring happiness to their owners.
Diamond "Shah" and its connection with the writer Griboedov
The history of the Shah diamond is connected with the death of one outstanding person - the Russian writer and diplomat Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov.
A little history
For many years, precious stones have been a sign of wealth, prosperity and high status in society. For this reason, gems were so valued by rulers; they emphasized their power and position in society.
Diamonds have always occupied a special place; crowns and attributes of power were encrusted with them. They were used as talismans and amulets. If we talk about the stone called “Shah,” it is unique in that on its surface there are three inscriptions with the names of the rulers. In addition, the crystal is different:
- quite 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 simply polished it a little, creating only eight faces on the surface of the mineral.
“Shah” also 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 three faces of the crystal. Even today, processing diamonds and applying inscriptions to their surface is associated with certain difficulties.
Engraving is applied to the surface of stones in three ways. During processing use:
- Laser beam.
- Chemical etching.
- Electric spark.
In the old days, such technologies were inaccessible to jewelers, but they still managed to apply the very solid mineral inscriptions on the ground. The work of ancient masters delighted historians, and thanks to scientific experiments, it was possible to find out exactly how the names of its owners appeared on the surface of the “Shah”.
In the 16th century, it was possible to write on the surface of a crystal using another diamond. Craftsmen also used reagents, using chemical etching as a way to mark the surface of gemstones with letters.
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, Burhan II. His decision to put an inscription on the stone, immortalizing himself in this way, became decisive. Thus, the first inscription appeared on the crystal. It is made rather crudely, the letters are deeply embedded in the structure of the mineral.
But Burhan II did not own the stone for long; already in 1592 it became the property of the Great Mughals. Shah Akbar, who attacked the Muslim ruler and seized his valuables, hid the diamond in the treasury, where it remained 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 Jahan’s throne. The gem was positioned in such a way that the ruler of the Mughal dynasty could continuously observe it.
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 would not be equal in the entire universe. This is how the Taj Mahal appeared.
Jahan's passion for minerals was expressed in the fact that he loved to cut crystals. The ruler locked himself in the workshop and processed precious stones. It was Shah Jahan who ordered the second inscription to be applied to the surface of the diamond, which was done very carefully.
But what is 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 thirsted 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 find out from his father where the legendary diamond was, but he did not succeed right away.
What can the inscriptions tell?
Engraving on the surface of a diamond over many centuries emphasizes the uniqueness of the crystal. The inscriptions on the edges of the stone differ from each other. They are made in different time and in various 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 the crystal back in the 16th century.
Historians had to work a little with such an unusual manuscript, but they still managed to decipher and translate the “letters”:
- The first inscription reads: “Burham Nizam Shah the second” - it was applied to the surface of the diamond in 1591, as experts suggest. The inscription is made roughly, the letters are deep, and have no ornament.
- The second inscription reads: “son of Jehan Gir Shah Jehan Shah” - according to experts, it was made in 1641. The letters are embossed and neatly executed.
- The third inscription on the surface of the stone appeared in early XVIII century, it is the most elegant and has a frame. The inscription reads: “Lord Qajar Fath Ali Shah Sultan.” Experts claim that the letters were applied to the surface of the crystal in 1824.
Engravings are directly related to the owners of the diamond. They could be applied by chemical etching or using a 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 marked with letters using a hot iron, or its surface was scratched with another diamond. Both technologies can be considered difficult to perform, since engraving requires skill, perseverance and Herculean efforts from the jeweler.
Involvement in the death of the writer
Initially, a large diamond with several inscriptions did not have a name. It belonged to the Mughal dynasty, was mined in a mine in India, and then came to Russia. This happened at the beginning of the 19th century.
The life of the writer and diplomat A. S. Griboedov ended tragically; he died in Tehran when he went to the embassy Russian Empire an attack was carried out.
As punishment for supporting the Decembrists, Nicholas I decided to get rid of the writer who was dissatisfied with the system and power. He sent him into a kind of exile, where Griboyedov died. Two women who were Russian citizens contacted the embassy. 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 approached the diplomat.
The brutal reprisal against 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 the emperor with a diamond as a gift. Nikolai accepted the gift and decided not to respond to violence with violence. So the diamond became involved in the death of Russian diplomats and acquired a new home.
Today the stone is the property of the Diamond Fund Russian Federation, it was stored in St. Petersburg for a long time. But during the revolution of 1917 he was transported to Moscow.
"The Shah" is not associated with a series of murders or brutal reprisals; its story intersects with some events that did not end 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.
The Shah diamond is of Indian origin. In Russia, this stone appeared in 1829, when, as a result of the massacre in Tehran, the Russian embassy, the head of which was A.S. Griboedov, was killed. This stone received its name only upon arrival in Russia: in Persia it did not have its own name.
The stone is not cut, the edges are just polished: it retains some of the natural faces of the octahedron. The Shah diamond has an elongated shape, and the ring-shaped groove indicates that it was worn as a talisman. On three well-polished surfaces of the diamond there are inscriptions carved: the names of the three rulers of Persia. Currently, the stone weighs 88.7 carats, but it is believed that before processing it weighed about 95. Mineralogist and geochemist A.E. Fersman, who examined the stone in 1922, noted the impeccable transparency of the stone. The Shah diamond has a yellowish color with brown inclusions.
The beginning of the history of this gem dates back to the 16th century. The diamond was found on the banks of the Krishna River, in the mines of Golconda (India, shortly before they were finally abandoned.
By 1591, the diamond belonged to the ruler of one of the Muslim states in India - Burhan II. The large transparent stone captured the imagination of the ruler; it was he who ordered the first inscription to be engraved on the diamond, calling himself “Lord of Order.”
We know that diamond is the hardest stone, it is extremely difficult to even scratch it. Today, in addition to mechanical grinding (where a diamond is polished with a diamond), three other processing methods are used: electric spark, laser beam and chemical etching.
One can only be amazed at the patience of the master, who was able to carve an inscription on such a stubborn material, given the primitiveness of the tools of that time.
But the diamond was not in Burkhan’s treasury for long: in 1592, Shah Akbar, who conquered this state, appropriated the stone. Thus, a large diamond became the regalia of the Great Mongols.
For about forty years the stone was in the treasury until it was noticed by Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jihan, who further exalted the Mongol state. Having dealt with all the contenders for the throne, Jihan began to rule. This ruler pursued a contradictory policy: at the same time as doubling taxes, Jihan built irrigation canals in certain parts of the state. The life of this ruler was decorated with love for one and only woman - the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal.
We owe the emergence of the Taj Mahal - one of the wonders of the world - to Shah Jihan: after the death of his wife, he ordered the best craftsmen to build a mausoleum, which will not be equal in the entire Universe.
It is curious that this ruler combined government affairs with the craft of a lapidary - he spent a lot of time in his workshop, devoting time to processing gems. Jihan gave the order to carve the second inscription on the stone: his name and the dates of his reign. This time, the unknown master used all the graphic properties of the language: now the inscription looked like an ornate, whimsical pattern, and not like ordinary text.
From the diaries of J.B. Tavernier, we know that the throne of the Persian rulers was equipped with a canopy, richly decorated with various precious stones. The “Shah” diamond was hung on this canopy so as to be constantly in the ruler’s field of vision.
Fath Ali Shah ordered the third inscription on the stone in 1827, in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of his reign. The writing on the last free face of the diamond amazes with its talent, perfection of work and intricate imagination.
After the victory in the Russian-Persian War, Russia sent ambassadors to Tehran led by A.S. Griboyedyv with the aim of signing a peace conversation. After the bloody massacre of the Russian ambassadors, Persian ambassadors went to Nicholas I. The price of shed blood was a diamond, which in Russia was called “Shah”. Thanks to this stone, the death of the great writer and the last two kururs were forgiven - about 4 million rubles.
The “Shah” diamond is a legendary historical gem, a diamond of a yellowish-brown hue, clean and transparent (weight 88.7 carats), located in the Diamond Fund of Russia in Moscow. The diamond is engraved with inscriptions in Persian that tell about those to whom it belonged: 1591 - the diamond was owned by Burhan Nizam Shah II from the Mughal dynasty; 1641 - Jahan Shah; 1824 - Shah Qajar Fath Ali, ruler of Persia. The diamond is not cut, but only polished; part of the natural faces of the octahedron has been preserved. It has an elongated shape, at one end there is a deep annular groove for hanging the stone.
Anyone with even the slightest interest in gemstones has many tragic stories to tell. Because of diamonds, emeralds and rubies, many could resort to theft, slander, murder... One of these stones, which enjoys a strange reputation, is the “Shah” diamond. You can’t call it a “killer” like the Blue Hope Diamond - most often those who owned it died a natural death. But here's each new inscription on its edges led to the collapse of entire countries...
History of appearance. Description
The diamond was found among ordinary pebbles in the mines of Golconda (Central India, bank of the Krishna River) more than 500 years ago. It has retained its natural shape, only some of its edges have been polished.
A traveler from Italy wrote: “Nowhere in the world, only in this kingdom (that is, in Golconda) are there diamonds, there are many of them here and all are good. But do not think that the best diamonds go to our Christian countries, take them to the Great Khan, to the kings and princes of the local states and kingdoms. They have great wealth, and they buy all the expensive stones.”
That is why this unique diamond immediately ended up in the possession of the ruler of Golconda. According to the rules of Indian master cutters, diamonds of the highest quality must have 6, 8 and 12 points, faces and edges. They must be sharp, smooth and straight, that is, the diamond must have an octagonal crystallographic shape. In addition, the stone must be Brahmin (according to the Indian division of stones into 4 grades), that is, completely colorless and transparent.
The yellowish Shah diamond, whose shape was far from ideal, belonged to the Vaishya variety, so it did not remain in the hands of the Hindus for long and was sold to the ruler of Ahmednagar.
How did the first inscription appear?
The Muslim Burhan II was the Sultan of Ahmednagar at that time. A large elongated diamond—the finger of Allah—struck the ruler’s imagination, and the vast flat edges of the stone seemed to him like tablets of history on which his name should be immortalized.
And here is one of the best masters In the court stone-cutting workshop of Burhan II, he covered the octohedral diamond facet with a thin layer of wax and scratched the necessary words with a needle. Then he collected diamond dust onto the tip of a steel (or copper) needle moistened with oil and constantly scratched along the edge.
Thus, the first inscription appeared - “Burkhan Nizam Shah the Second. 1000 year." It was from this inscription that scientists were able to recreate the history of the stone.
Trace of the Shah Diamond in History
The precious stone did not long adorn the treasury of Burhan II. According to our chronology, the 1000th year corresponds to the 1591st year. It was at that time that the Great Mogul Akbar, an outstanding statesman and commander, was the ruler of Northern India. In 1595, Ahmednagar was captured by his troops, and this amazing stone was discovered among the ruler’s jewelry. Thus, the Shah Diamond becomes the dynastic regalia of the Great Mughals. For more than 40 years it was in their treasury, until Shah Jahan, who combined royal grandeur with the professionalism of a lapidary master, drew attention to it. He spent many hours in the lapidary workshop, processing gems with his own hands. He may have been involved in polishing some of the diamond's facets to reveal the clarity of the stone. And then he ordered a second inscription to be carved on the precious stone: “Son of Jehangir Shah Jehan Shah. 1051."
1665 - the Shah diamond was first seen by a European, the famous traveler from France J.B. Tavernier. The diamond was hung from the Mughal throne in such a way that the person sitting on the throne could see it in front of him at all times. The stone is surrounded by a deep groove so that it can also be hung around the neck (like a talisman) on a silk or gold thread.
1739 - the city of Delhi (India), where the diamond was located at that time, was attacked by Nadir Shah. He transported the stone to Persia, and in Persia a third inscription was carved on the diamond: “Lord Qajar Fakht Ali Shah. Sultan. 1242".
Tehran incident
1829, end of January - during the riots that broke out in Tehran, the Russian ambassador A. S. Griboedov, author of the famous comedy “Woe from Wit,” was killed. The murder of a diplomat of a great power threatened with serious complications, and a special delegation was sent to St. Petersburg, headed by the son of Abbas Mirza, Prince Khozrev Mirza. To atone for the guilt of the Persian people, he invited Russia to accept the most precious thing of the Persian crown - the Shah diamond. In response to Khozrev-Mirza’s florid speech, Nicholas I allegedly said only 7 words: “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion.”
For a long time, this version was considered the only one in history, but now some of the modern scientists believe that in fact this was not quite the case. As you can see, the version that the precious stone was given for the death of A. S. Griboyedov appeared thanks to the story “The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar” by Yu. N. Tynyanov. But the orientalist V. F. Minorsky established back in the 20s of the 20th century that the emperor did not even think of demanding the “price for the blood” of A. S. Griboedov. The Russian government insisted on sending an embassy from Persia and punishing those responsible. The Shah of Persia, sending his delegation to St. Petersburg, pursued his own goals: he hoped to achieve a reduction in indemnity. According to the Turkmanchay Treaty of 1828, Persia had to pay Russia 10 kurars of indemnity, which amounted to 20 million rubles. The indemnity was quite heavy for Persia; in order to pay it, the golden candelabra of the Shah's palace were melted down, the Shah's wives and courtiers handed over diamond buttons. However, they were still able to collect only 8 curars.
The humiliated requests of Khozrev-Mirza and his gifts, which included, in addition to the Shah diamond, two Kashmiri carpets, a pearl necklace, 20 ancient manuscripts, sabers and other precious things, in the opinion of the Persian Shah, were supposed to soften the heart of the Russian sovereign.
The gifts did their job: Nicholas I refused one indemnity payment and deferred the payment of another for 5 years. So to say that the Shah diamond is the “blood price” of A. S. Griboyedov is a very stretch.
Diamond that brings misfortune
It is difficult to attribute subsequent events to the influence of the “unlucky” diamond - there were quite objective reasons for this. And yet... it ended ingloriously: the defeat in the Crimean War showed everyone the backwardness of Russia, and the state found itself in political isolation.
And what about Prince Khozrev-Mirza? Owning the stone was not in vain for him. At first he fell ill with a bad disease, and 5 years later, during the struggle for the throne, his eyes were gouged out (a blind man could not be the ruler of the state). He lived the rest of his days blind...
Nowadays, Diamond Shah is exhibited in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation. Visitors, dazzled by the brilliance of the treasures, do not always pay attention to this uncut, but merely polished, slightly yellowish diamond. However, if you take a closer look at it, it is difficult to look away from it. And it becomes clear why this immaculately transparent, light yellowish-brown stone served as a talisman for rulers, even if it brought misfortune.
