Koh-i-noor : the history of the world's most infamous diamond / William Dalrymple, Anita Anand.

Abstract: "The first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world ... Using original eyewitness accounts and chronicles never before translated into English, Dalrymple and Anand trace the true history of the diamond and disperse the myths and fantastic tales that have long surrounded this awe-inspiring jewel. The resulting history of south and central Asia tells a true tale of greed, conquest, murder, torture, colonialism, and appropriation that shaped a continent and the Koh-i-Noor itself."--Jacket.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 303-318) and index.

Contents: Part 1: The jewel in the throne -- The Indian prehistory of the Koh-i-Noor -- The mughals and the Koh-i-Noor -- Nader Shah: the Koh-i-Noor goes to Iran -- the Durranis: the Koh-i-Noor in Afghanistan -- Ranjit Singh: the Koh-i-Noor in Lahore -- Part 2: The jewel in the crown -- City of ash -- The boy king -- Passage to England -- The Great Exhibition -- The first cut -- Queen Victoria's "Loyal subject" -- The jewel and the crown -- "We must take back the Koh-i-Noor."

English