The Sanci diamond has a very ancient and interesting history, and has been through many adventures. It is first heard of as belonging to Charles the Bold of Burgundy on the day he was disastrously defeated by the Swiss at the battle of Granson. According to tradition a Swiss soldier picked it up, and having no value for a piece of glass, sold it for a florin or the price of a drink. Eventually it found its way to Constantinople, and was there bought by the French Ambassador in 1570, and became henceforth known as the Great Sanci diamond. Henry III and Henry IV, both of France, were the next possessors, and whilst owned by the latter King it had a curious adventure. One of the King’s followers, who had charge of the diamond, was attacked by robbers, and the faithful fellow, to save his master’s treasure, swallowed it. The robbers after a stiff fight slew the servant, and not finding the stone pulled the corpse into the thicket and left it. In due course of nature, when decomposition had done its work, the brilliant was found again and was restored to the French King. The Sanci then, by sale or gift, passed into the possession of Queen Elizabeth, and remained one of the Crown Jewels of England through several reigns, and escaped the depredations of the Commonwealth. In 1669 it was still in the possession of Henrietta Maria, widow of Charles I, and was by her entrusted to the Earl of Somerset, who handed it over to James II. When that monarch fled to France he took the Sanci with him and sold it to Louis XIV for £25,000. It long remained amongst the French Crown Jewels, and in 1791 was valued at £40,000. In the year 1835 the diamond passed to Russia, being purchased by Prince Demidoff for £75,000. Then in 1865 the Sanci returned to India, whence it probably originally came, being sold by the Demidoffs to Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, a rich Parsee of Bombay. From him it was bought by the Maharajah of Patiala, at what price is not known, and is still in that prince’s possession, and may be seen on the front of his turban on State occasions. The Great Moghul originally weighed 787 carats, but when seen in the treasury of the Emperor Aurungzebe in 1665 by Tavernier it had been cut down to an estimated weight of 280 carats. It appears to have been given to the Emperor Shah Jehan by the Amir Jumba. It is by some supposed to be a portion cleaved off the Koh-i-Nur by some great convulsion of nature in remote ages long before either were discovered. The diamond is believed to be at present in the possession of the Shah of Persia.