The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-11-12
MOST FAMOUS RUBY.
Its Oriental Name Translated Is "Trib
ute Of the World"

/ 10 OFlCUNdl 70 i'lb
ute Of the World"
The worlds largest and most famous
ruby is that known as the Timur ruby.
the oriental name of which is Khiraj-i-
Alan. Tribute of the World" This is
the largest spinel ruby known. weigh
ing a bit over 1852 carats, uncut but
polished II is thought To have come
from one of the old ruby mines of
BadahShan.
This famous jewel has had a varied
and most romantic history. The ear
liest records concerning il Indicate that
il was seized. together with many
other precious stones, by the Ameer
Timur commonly called by European
historians Tamerlane, when he plum
dored Delhi i'm 1898.
AZ his death the ruby descended to
his son, Mir Shah Rukh. and in due
time 10 his son and successor, Mira
Ulugh Beg. At this period however,
| the Tartar empire was on the verge of
dissolution. During one of the wars
between the Tartars and the Persians,
the ruby fen into the hands of the
kings of Iran. Shah Abbas l., the
greatest of the Safavi kings of Persia.
who, acting with the British forces,
took the island of Ormuz from the
friend and ally of the Mogul Emperor
Jehangir, and presented the ruby to
him in 1912. At that time the gem
was inscribed with the names of
Thurs sin and grandson and of Shah
Abhas himself.
There is a story to the effect that
when Jehangir's favorite wife. Muir Je-
han, demonstrated with him for spoil
ing the gem by this inscription, he re-
piled; This jewel will more certainly
hand down my name to posterity than
any written history. The House of
Timur may fall, but as long as there is
a king this jewel will be his, meaning.
rare stone would always remain with
the suzeran of Hindustan. And it is
fact that, throughout all the vicissi-
udes of Indian history, this predic-
ton has been fulfilled.
The next owner of the ruby was
shah Jehan, who also had his name in
scribed upon IT, and finally had it
placed in the famous Peacock throne.
On his deposition by his son Aurung-
~eb. or Alamgri Shah the gem went
with the rest Of the jewels Following
the example of preceding Mogul own
crs, AuTngzeh added his name and
the date on which he acquired it, The
last of the Delhi emperors to inscrbe
his name was Mahmoud Farukh Siyar.
During the reign of his successor. Ma
dir Shah invaded India and sacked
Delhi Q739. His loot. carried away to
the open capital of Persiah lspahan,
included the Timur ruby, as shown by
a cryptic inscription of the style af- |
fected by the Persian scholars of the
day. The date is that of the Hcjira !
era and corresponds with \. ID. l74O.
The latest name on the jewel is that |
of Ahmad Shah commonly known as |
Abdali or Duranj, who, at the time of
Nadir Shah's assassination i'm 1747. !
held an important command i'm his vic |
torious army. When he heard of the |
murder he attempted To seize the |
throne but succeeded only in securing !
a large amount of booty, which he took !
with him when he marched south at |
the head of his troops and founded |
the kingdom of Afghanistan. ON his |
death, i'm 1,72, his son. Tmur Shah, |
succeeded to the throne of Kabul. and |
the ruby eventually passed to the lat
tcrs youngest son, Shah Suja on his !
expulsion by Dost Mahomed, he took |
refuge in the Punjab, and Maharaja |
Ranjit forced him To surrender both |
the Koh-i-noor and the Timur ruby.
ON the annexation of the Punjab i'm
1919 the board Of administration took
over all tn" state jewels. The Kohl
moor was sent direct by the hands of
special officer to England and at once
delivered to Queen Victoria. Some of
the more valuable gems and articles
found i'm the native treasure house. in
'luding the Timur ruby, were packed
up i'm Lahore and sent To London.
These were all displayed in the exhibit
ion Of 1881, and when this came to an
md the court of directors of the East !
India company presented the ruby to
queen NiCtoria.-Ilarpcr's Weekly