102 TEHERAN AND A NEWER PERSIA
carats each. At 4 feet distance from the throne there are fixed, on either side, two umbrellas, the sticks of which, for 7 or 8 feet in height, are covered with diamonds, rubies, and pearls. These umbrellas are of red velvet, and are embroidered and fringed all around with pearls.
' This is what I have been able to observe regarding this famous throne, commenced by Tamerlane and completed by Shah Jahan ; and those who keep the accounts of the King's jewels, and of what this great work has cost, have assured me that it amounts to one hundred and seven thousand lakhs of rupees [sic] (i.e. 10,700,000,000) which amount to one hundred and sixty millions five hundred thousand livres of our money (i.e. 160,500,000).' ^
It will be observed in this description that the most gorgeous part of the fabric was the magnificent canopy which contained the peacock that gave its name to the throne.
A less detailed account, apparently drawn in part from ' rec- ollection,' is given by Frangois Bernier, who traveled for a time with Tavernier and remained for twelve years at the capi- tal of the Great Moghul in the capacity of court physician. In a letter addressed from Delhi to a friend in France, and dated July 1, 1663 (thus earlifer than Tavernier), he writes: ^ —
- The throne was supported by six massy feet, said to be of solid gold,
sprinkled over with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. I cannot tell you with accuracy the number or value of this vast collection of precious stones, because no person may approach sufficiently near to reckon them, or judge of their water and clearness ; but I can assure you that there is a confusion of diamonds, as well as other jewels, and that the throne, to the best of my recollection, is valued at four Kourours of Roupies [crores of rupees]. I observed elsewhere that a Lecque is one hundred thousand roupies, and that a Kourour is a hundred Lecques, so that the throne is estimated at forty millions of roupies, worth sixty millions of livres or thereabouts.^ It was
1 Ball has pointed out that there is » That is, £4,500,000, valuing the apparently a clerical error iu the num- rupee at 2s. 3d at that time. The valu- bers of the original text which should ation by Tavernier (as given with read 'one thousand and seventy lakhs.' Ball's correction of a clerical error) He gives the equivalent in English was £12,037,600; see above. Benja- money as £12,037,500. For other min, Persia, p. 73, New York, 1887, valuations see the following notes. mentions $13,000,000 as an estimate.
2 Bernier, Travels in the Mogul Abd al-Hamid, a court historian of Empire in 1656-1668, translated by Shah Jahan (quoted below), named Brock and Constable, pp. 268-269, ' ten million rupees' (over £1,000,000). London, 1891. The same sum, ' one kror (10,000,000)
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