One of these gems Charles gave to Pope Sextus IV., and it was mounted in the Tiara, where it is said to remain. The second was presented to Louis XI. of France; while the third was reserved by the Burgundian hero, and set in a grotesque manner to be worn as a personal ornament.
This jewel, of true barbaric design, was formed of a triangular shape, with the newly cut diamond in the centre. This diamond was ⁵⁄₈ of an inch in its widest diameter, and was shaped as a pyramid, with the apex cut into a four-rayed star in relief. Around the gem were set three large Balais rubies and four magnificent pearls, each more than half an inch in diameter.
One of the Fugger family, in 1555, made a careful drawing of the jewel, with a written description of it, and these were afterwards published by Lambeccius in his Bibliotheca Cæsarea; so there can be no doubt about the appearance of the original diamond of Charles the Bold in its early days.
When the Duke led his band of freebooters into Switzerland on his long-projected foray, he took most of his gems along with him, not dreaming of disaster, and probably loving to view his treasures even amid the hardships of a campaign. Rough soldiers are sometimes as fond of the beautiful in art and nature as more delicate and refined organizations; and Charles the Bold and Suvaroff are not the only examples.
The terrific onslaught of the Swiss at Grandson crushed the Burgundian ranks so quickly that Charles had only time to escape with his sword, leaving all his cherished treasures in the hands of the dauntless mountaineers.
In the sack of the camp which speedily followed the rout, a soldier found the golden box in which the famous pendant was kept, but regarding the jewel as a gaudy and worthless bauble, he tossed it away under a wagon, and retained the box only. Shortly afterwards he began to suspect that the contents of so beautiful a box must have some relative value, and returning to the place he recovered the despised jewel. He did not long retain his treasure, but sold it to a priest for one florin. The priest also did not appear to have a high regard for his purchase, for he disposed of it to the magistrates of his own canton for three francs.
When it became known that the Bernese Government had possession of the Duke’s famous jewels, Jacob Fugger, one of the members of the celebrated Nuremberg family, went to Bern and negotiated for their purchase. The famous pendant, together with the Duke’s cap, which was made of silk covered with pearls and Balais rubies, and a plume case set with diamonds, pearls, and Balais rubies, were bought for the sum of 47,000 francs. Fugger retained the pendant in his possession at Nuremberg for many years, indulging in the hope, it has been said, that the Duke’s great-grandson, the Emperor Charles V., would purchase it as a family relic. When the celebrated capitalist died the ornament was still in his possession; but his great-nephew, who inherited the jewel, sold it to Henry VIII. of England. After the death of this monarch, his daughter presented the diamond to her bridegroom; and thus, by a remarkable coincidence, and after an absence of seventy-six years, the royal gem is again restored to the rightful heir of its original owner. So far the history of Sancy No. 1 can be clearly traced.
Now for the stories relating to the Sancy diamond No. 2. But, before proceeding further in this interesting and misty search, we will explain the history of the nobleman who has inseparably connected his name with so many gems.
Nicolas Harlai, Seigneur de Sancy, was of French descent, and the treasurer and intimate friend of King Henry IV. He had filled several positions of high responsibility, and served as ambassador to several of the Courts of Europe. He was also known as a man of culture, a lover of the fine arts, and an amateur in gems.
In the year 1589, Baron Sancy is said to have obtained a large diamond from the Pretender to the Crown of Portugal, as security for a loan of one hundred thousand livres. The antiquaries have thus far failed to ascertain whence this gem was obtained; but it cannot be supposed that it was the identical jewel Philip II. of Spain had received from the English Princess, for the Spaniard was then the bitterest foe of Don Antonio. Furthermore, Philip, when dying, in 1598, ten years later than the above-mentioned period, gave to the Infanta a diamond of great beauty saying that it once belonged to Queen Mary of England. At all events, it is quite certain that the French Baron had in his hands a large and valuable diamond.