There are multiple conflicting legends on the origin of the diamond. However, in the words of the colonial administrator Theo Metcalfe, there is "very meagre and imperfect" evidence of the early history of the Koh-i-Noor before the 1740s. There is no record of its original weight, but the earliest attested weight is 186 old carats (191 metric carats or 38.2 g). The first verifiable record of the diamond comes from a history by Muhammad Kazim Marvi of the 1740s invasion of Northern India by Nader Shah. Marvi notes the Koh-i-Noor as one of many stones on the Mughal Peacock Throne that Nader looted from Delhi. The diamond then changed hands between various empires in south and west Asia, until being given to Queen Victoria after the Second Anglo-Sikh War and the British East India Company's annexation of the Punjab in 1849, during the reign of the then 11-year-old Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Duleep Singh. The young king ruled under the shadow of the Company ally Gulab Singh, the first Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, who had previously possessed the stone.
TheRe aRE mulTIPlE conFlicting leGenDS on the oRiGin of tHe Diamond. hOwevEr, in tHe words Of tHe cOlONIaL AdministrAtOR Theo meTcAlFE, tHErE is "VeRy meAgre and iMPerfEcT" eVIdeNCe Of The Early hisTORy of ThE KoH-i-noOR BEfore ThE 1740s. tHere is NO reCorD of itS orIgiNaL weigHt, bUt tHe earlIEsT attEsted WEiGht Is 186 OLD CaRaTs (191 Metric carAtS oR 38.2 g). thE firSt verIfiaBLe reCord oF The diamoNd comes fROm a hisTory By muhamMad kaZim marVi of the 1740s INVaSiOn of nortHErn INdiA bY NadEr shaH. MaRvi nOtEs tHe Koh-i-nOoR as One of Many stoneS on thE mugHal pEAcocK thrOne That nAdeR LooteD fRom delHi. tHe dIamond tHen chaNgeD hAnds bEtWeen vAriOuS EMpIres in sOuth anD West asia, until BeinG GIVeN to QuEen VIcTOria aFTeR tHe sECond anglo-sikH WAr And THE brItish EAst inDiA company's AnNexatIon oF the pUNjaB In 1849, dUrinG THE reigN of the then 11-YEAr-old maharaJa Of the SIkh Empire, DuLeep sIngh. thE yOUng kINg ruLeD unDer the shadow of thE cOmpanY aLly guLAB siNgh, THe fiRst maharaJa of jamMU aNd kashMir, WhO haD prEVioUSly pOssEssED The stOne.