The Sancy Blood Diamond: Power, Greed, And The Cursed History Of One Of The World's Most Coveted Gems hardcover english - 19 November 2004
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| Publisher | John Wiley And Sons Ltd |
| ISBN 13 | 9780471436515 |
| Book Subtitle | Power, Greed, And The Cursed History Of One Of The World's Most Coveted Gems |
| Book Description | This is the fascinating six-hundred-year history of one of the world's most coveted gems and the royal feuds, intrigues, and betrayals it engendered. The Sancy Diamond first came to Europe from India in the fourteenth century, and until 1661 it was the largest white diamond - and the most concentrated and secure form of wealth - in all of Christendom. Alternately believed to impart invincibility to its wearer and to bring ruin to any who owned it, the Sancy cast a seemingly mystical spell over everyone from the king of Portugal to Henry III of France to England's Elizabeth I to Napoleon Bonaparte and Queen Maria Luisa of Spain. The riveting account of one of the most hotly pursued gems in history, "The Sancy Blood Diamond" follows its six-century journey from the diamond mines of Golconda to where it now modestly resides at the Louvre, among the remnants of the French crown jewels.In a colorful, fast-paced narrative, historian Susan Ronald describes the often violent passions the Sancy engendered among many of the giants of European history. She also describes the pivotal roles it played on the chessboard of European geopolitics, and how it was used to raise armies, settle national debts, and enhance its owners' power and prestige. Working from primary sources, Ronald solves, once and for all, the mystery of the Sancy's disappearances in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and she explores the legend of the Sancy curse, which arose after the violent deaths of Burgundy's Charles the Bold, England's Charles I, France's Louis XVI, and other ill-fated owners. |
| Editorial Review | ...she tells the 600-year story of the Sancy, with thefts and intrigues from India to the French monarchy. (Oxford Times, 24th December 2004) "...Susan Ronald attacks her story with a great deal of gusto and erudition..." (The Sunday Telegraph, 2 January 2005) "...An astonishing story. And one to which Ronald's highly-original book does full justice..." (Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds, 22 December 2004) "...unravels a real theft from Louvre..." (The Times, 19 November 2004) "...this book is alternately enlightening and overwhelming...may consider this a gem worth having in their library". (Publishers Weekly, August 23, 2004) |
| About the Author | SUSAN RONALD is one of the world's leading experts on commercial activities in historic sites and has been an advisor to Britain's National Trust. She has written numerous articles on historic subjects and a popular history of France for young adults. Raised in the diamond trade her father was a diamond merchant for over seventy years her fascination with the Sancy Diamond, and gems in general, began at a very early age. |
| Language | English |
| Author | Susan Ronald |
| Publication Date | 19 November 2004 |
| Number of Pages | 352 |
The Sancy Blood Diamond: Power, Greed, And The Cursed History Of One Of The World's Most Coveted Gems hardcover english - 19 November 2004
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