The Banjarmasin Diamond

This diamond is war booty. It was once owned by Panembahan Adam, the sultan of Banjarmasin (Kalimantan). The stone belonged to the state heirlooms, symbols of the sultan’s sovereignty. After his death, the Netherlands intervened in the battle of succession. In 1859 Dutch troops violently seized control of Banjarmasin and abolished the sultanate. The rough diamond was sent to the Netherlands, where it was cut into a rectangle of 36 carats.