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The Sancy Blood Diamond: Power, Greed, and the Cursed History of One of the World's Most Coveted Gems
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.
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.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
338 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 9, 2018
When I started this book I figured it would be following the path through history of a major diamond that I had previously never heard of - the Sancy or as it was called in its initial years in Europe "La Belle de Flanders". Starting in Golconda, it's likely home, and it's first appearance in the 1398 inventory of the dowry of Valentina Visconti, the travels and many hands it passed through are all related.
And this is also were the book starts dragging. The numerous rulers who possessed it, the battles they fought, the other rulers that wanted to possess it, the times it was pawned or used as collateral for money for war and equipment just goes on and on.
An interesting note that the author includes is the translation of the money which displayed splendidly why gemstones were sureties. 450,000 Milanese florins in 1398 is the equivalent of $218.3 million in 2005 dollars and 136.4 million pounds. The purchase of the Regent diamond (which displaced the Sancy as the largest white diamond in Europe) in 1717 was 2 million livres (or the equivalent of $2.8 Billion dollars and 1.8 Billion pounds - that's with a 'B') And the amounts just continue. Makes you realize that most medieval and early modern governments of Europe was mostly functioning on credit - the French deficit in 1774 at the time of the King's coronation was 22 million livres. See the above translated amount!!
And even the creative idea of the Crown Jewels were 'inalienable' or a permanent part of a country and not to be sold or used as guarantees on loans lasted only a few decades especially since many rulers - in their desire for the largest, the best, the purest, the most beautiful - would find reasons to not return the sparklies to their original owners. Or the massive delays in payments would result in the holder of the diamond threatening to find another buyer to cover the debt.
If you ever thought that the royal courts of Europe - mostly France, England and Spain - were corrupt, greedy, cutthroat and delusional, here's a book to read. If you're looking to read about the legend of the Sancy diamond itself, the book could have been much shorter without the side trips into duplicity and rampant greed. Perhaps a few color reproductions of the paintings and even a better picture of the Sancy itself would have been nice since all pictures were black and white and the grays all blended together.
And this is also were the book starts dragging. The numerous rulers who possessed it, the battles they fought, the other rulers that wanted to possess it, the times it was pawned or used as collateral for money for war and equipment just goes on and on.
An interesting note that the author includes is the translation of the money which displayed splendidly why gemstones were sureties. 450,000 Milanese florins in 1398 is the equivalent of $218.3 million in 2005 dollars and 136.4 million pounds. The purchase of the Regent diamond (which displaced the Sancy as the largest white diamond in Europe) in 1717 was 2 million livres (or the equivalent of $2.8 Billion dollars and 1.8 Billion pounds - that's with a 'B') And the amounts just continue. Makes you realize that most medieval and early modern governments of Europe was mostly functioning on credit - the French deficit in 1774 at the time of the King's coronation was 22 million livres. See the above translated amount!!
And even the creative idea of the Crown Jewels were 'inalienable' or a permanent part of a country and not to be sold or used as guarantees on loans lasted only a few decades especially since many rulers - in their desire for the largest, the best, the purest, the most beautiful - would find reasons to not return the sparklies to their original owners. Or the massive delays in payments would result in the holder of the diamond threatening to find another buyer to cover the debt.
If you ever thought that the royal courts of Europe - mostly France, England and Spain - were corrupt, greedy, cutthroat and delusional, here's a book to read. If you're looking to read about the legend of the Sancy diamond itself, the book could have been much shorter without the side trips into duplicity and rampant greed. Perhaps a few color reproductions of the paintings and even a better picture of the Sancy itself would have been nice since all pictures were black and white and the grays all blended together.
June 3, 2021
History by cut and paste can be either a blight or a blessing. In this case a blessing, I think. There seems to be so little reliable information available on the Sancy diamond that without the slow paced uninspired history lessons the book would have been a pamphlet.
The author includes some strange and debatable ideas and some omissions. Comparing Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army in the English Civil War with the Taliban. Apparently they were “born out of the same religious fervour.” In 17th-century France a panicky Cardinal Mazarin was “like Saddam Hussein in the face of the coalition forces, [he] thought that something would turn up.” In all the description of the French Revolution there is no mention of poor old Tom Paine, so much for the Rights of Man and The Age of Reason in the world of lapidary.
I'm sorry but the book was a bit of a drag to read. It is really a compilation of historical facts and some questionable statements put together with a bit about diamonds and their financial value throughout the centuries – mainly in Europe.
The author includes some strange and debatable ideas and some omissions. Comparing Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army in the English Civil War with the Taliban. Apparently they were “born out of the same religious fervour.” In 17th-century France a panicky Cardinal Mazarin was “like Saddam Hussein in the face of the coalition forces, [he] thought that something would turn up.” In all the description of the French Revolution there is no mention of poor old Tom Paine, so much for the Rights of Man and The Age of Reason in the world of lapidary.
I'm sorry but the book was a bit of a drag to read. It is really a compilation of historical facts and some questionable statements put together with a bit about diamonds and their financial value throughout the centuries – mainly in Europe.
October 20, 2025
Stories about famous gems are always fun - but mostly as anecdote or story - the problem with a history of a a diamond like the Sancy is that inevitably you get a history of the owners and when that includes so many historic figures then history tends to be potted and rather skimpy were it is not downright annoying and often wrong when not misleading and oversimplified.
Perhaps what is most extraordinary in book like this is the absence of any colour illustrations or even any really good black and white ones - there is not even a good photo of the Sancy. Overall the book will be enjoyed by jewellery enthusiasts of an uncritical disposition. I was frankly disappointed.
Perhaps what is most extraordinary in book like this is the absence of any colour illustrations or even any really good black and white ones - there is not even a good photo of the Sancy. Overall the book will be enjoyed by jewellery enthusiasts of an uncritical disposition. I was frankly disappointed.
August 28, 2017
The story of the diamond is interesting, and I learned quite a bit about how people have viewed gems over the centuries. I also was appalled to read about how incredibly badly Europe was ruled, as if it was just another possession for the monarchs, which, I suppose, it actually was. It puts our current situation here in the US into a different perspective.
So yes, the story is interesting. The writing, however, fell short of my expectations. much of it was clunky, she left out explanations thar would have made it easier to follow, she makes statements that seem to come out of left field, and above all else, photos or drawings would have been very useful. She assumes knowledge of gemstones that the average reader doesn't have, as well.
In all, it was okay. I learned something, but I found myself reading it wih a low level of annoyance throughout.
So yes, the story is interesting. The writing, however, fell short of my expectations. much of it was clunky, she left out explanations thar would have made it easier to follow, she makes statements that seem to come out of left field, and above all else, photos or drawings would have been very useful. She assumes knowledge of gemstones that the average reader doesn't have, as well.
In all, it was okay. I learned something, but I found myself reading it wih a low level of annoyance throughout.
April 5, 2024
It turns out that the diamonds you see at the mall which smolder with romance and mystery are the fruits of age old evils like slavery (not just for adults) and activities so vicious that making them up would be hard.
This is so bad but also is simply an extension of what the U.S. and African rulers have done have done since time immemorial; fomenting revolutions in this particular country so money is made.
Child labor unto death, torture, and human cattling enforced with the suppression of free speech are what keeps these conflict diamonds in distribution.
The movie "Blood Diamond" doesn't even cover most of it. The mysticism Susan Ronald associates with the Sancy diamond is filler. The value of these diamonds is financial.
Some of this should be included in the cliff notes to Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" as a real life parallel to the text, or as a reminder that some people will do anything at all for money.
This is so bad but also is simply an extension of what the U.S. and African rulers have done have done since time immemorial; fomenting revolutions in this particular country so money is made.
Child labor unto death, torture, and human cattling enforced with the suppression of free speech are what keeps these conflict diamonds in distribution.
The movie "Blood Diamond" doesn't even cover most of it. The mysticism Susan Ronald associates with the Sancy diamond is filler. The value of these diamonds is financial.
Some of this should be included in the cliff notes to Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" as a real life parallel to the text, or as a reminder that some people will do anything at all for money.
August 9, 2014
In this historical potboiler, Susan Ronald traces the history of the Sancy Diamond from the mines of Golconda to its current tranquil resting place in The Louvre. As the largest and most famous diamond in Europe from the Fourteenth through the Seventeenth Century, The Sancy had many admirers and several owners; from Charles the Bold through Napoleon, kings, queens, cardinals and dukes, some of them major players on the stage of European history. Ronald does more; she is a knowledgeable political-historian and along the way she weaves the Sancy's chronology into to woof and weft of European political history.
As Ronald shows, The Sancy and by extension other famous gems did more than add luster to the crowns of European Monarchs. Goldsmiths were Europe's first bankers. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that long before the present conflicts in Africa, large and famous gems provided the bloody collateral of choice, pledged by Europe's crowned heads to the financiers who bankrolled Europe's major conflicts.
Ronald's account is authoritative, fast paced and reads like a Machiavellian analysis of history. From the killing fields of Nancy, to Charles I's beheading, to the court of the Sun King, Ronald shows how sex, power and greed as represented by The Sancy, fueled the politics of Europe. The book was published in 1995, don't know how I missed it. The book is particularly relevant given the present interest in conflict diamonds. Highly recommended
As Ronald shows, The Sancy and by extension other famous gems did more than add luster to the crowns of European Monarchs. Goldsmiths were Europe's first bankers. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that long before the present conflicts in Africa, large and famous gems provided the bloody collateral of choice, pledged by Europe's crowned heads to the financiers who bankrolled Europe's major conflicts.
Ronald's account is authoritative, fast paced and reads like a Machiavellian analysis of history. From the killing fields of Nancy, to Charles I's beheading, to the court of the Sun King, Ronald shows how sex, power and greed as represented by The Sancy, fueled the politics of Europe. The book was published in 1995, don't know how I missed it. The book is particularly relevant given the present interest in conflict diamonds. Highly recommended
June 21, 2016
Because I love history, and I love jewels, I spotted this book & had to have it. It's been a fascinating read, the travels of a famous diamond through it's centuries of existence, and the stories, mysteries, & possible curse that surrounds it. Now in the Louve, this important treasure has had every bit as checkered a past as our own Hope Diamond, & at one time in history, the 2 actually were in the same ownership.
January 4, 2012
Too much dry-as-dust history (ie, dates and placenames) and not enough about the diamond itself! Because royal European gemstones are the subject of this book, and yet the book focuses on how the gems went from hand to hand - not just the Sancy Diamond, but lots of gems - while barely bothering to describe the gems themselves. Too bad.
November 11, 2013
Some interesting historical passages in this book but it did not dwell on the actual history of the stone as much as I was expecting. My guess is that there isn't a lot to say about it. Overall OK.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews