Like
the Florentine, the Sancy, too, is said to have been in the
possession of Charles the Bold of Burgundy. It was shaped
rather like a pear and, with four rows of facets, was allegedly
cut by Louis de Berkem for the Prince. It weighs 55 carats.
It is to be assumed that it, too, stems from India, like all
diamonds that legend deals with early on.
In the15th century it had on its journey arrived with Charles
the Bold, who is said to have carried it on him as a talisman
in the Battle of Nancy. The Duke fell, and a soldier is said
to have found the diamond on the dead man and then sold it
into Portugal. Later it came into the possession of Nicolas
Harlay de Sancy.
Whether it was a historically verified occurrence or only
a moving legend is an open question; in any event, the story
goes that Monsieur de Sancy was going to send the diamond,
with a servant, from Solothurn to the King of France . En
route, the servant was ambushed, but before he was murdered
he only just had time to swallow the stone. Monsieur de Sancy,
convinced of the loyalty of his servant, had the dead man
dissected, and the diamond was found in his stomach. The diamond
then was amongst the jewels of Elisabeth I of England.
In 1649 it came to France by way of the spouse of Charles
I, and into the treasure vault of Cardinal Mazarin, who bequeathed
it to Louis XIV. The king is said to have worn the Sancy in
the agrafe of his hat. With the French Revolution its journey
resumed. It reportedly was part of the Spanish Crown Jewels;
then it belonged to a Prince Demidoff. Finally it said to
have returned to its country of origin, into the treasure
vaults of the Maharajah of Guttiola.
In 1867 it could be admired at the World Exhibition in Paris.Now
it allegedly belongs to Lady Astor. Unfortunately, private
property can never be determined with certainty.
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