“BLAZE OF GLORY”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10560, 10 April 1920, Page 4

“BLAZE OF GLORY”

KAISER’S DIAMOND SINISTER GEM THAT HAS SPELT RUIN. A groat and brilliant diamond, said by tradition to ha ve been given by King Solomon to tho Queen of Sheba, which, after a career of sinister influence, was incorporated in tho Prussian royal regalia, is the thomo of a wonderful romance forwarded by the New York correspondent of the “Central News.” The story of the “Blaze of Glory ” as tho stone was called, is perhaps the most fascinating, in the history of famous precious jewels. Engraved on one side of the diamond, by tho most cunning work, is the sacred sign of King Solomon, and on tho reverse a device attributed to tho Queen of Sheba. The story goes that tho wise King, carried away by the charm of Sheba’s ruler, plucked the jewel from his turban and gave it to the Queen. RUIN AND BLOODSHED.

Tales of the wonderful gem wore carried by travellers into Persia, and tlie greed of the nomadic King El-. Hakin 11. was soon excited. He marched into the land of the unfortunate Queen, and robbed her body, which had been mutilated by his soldiers, of tho blood-stained jewel. Two weeks later the Shah was murdered by a subject in his royal palace. And bo, from year to year, the diamond wrought its evil influence on every rulijr, potentate, prince, and family, sooner or later, which became associated with it. Possession of the sinister gem spelt ruin, and often bloodshed, to the owner, and recent history seems to have continued its fateful tradition of misfortune. In tho Middle Ages, the Margrave (or Marquis) de Brandenburg, whose kingdom was the nucleus around which sprang up the Prussian dynasty, in making one of his accustomed raids into the neighbouring country of Silesia, captured a Jewish merchant whose collection of goods contained, the illstarred diamond. Promptly tho Kaiser’s ancestor seized tho shining gean and swore to make it adorn the crown of a great kingdom, of which his family was to be the heid. Aware of th© course the diamond carried with it, the merchant ventured to warn the marquis, hut for his boldness met his death by the ruler’s orders on rfio castle walls the same night. ■WILHELM WAKNED. Apparently without- great incident tho treasure was handed down from king to king until it came into the hands of tho monarch now m exile at Amorongen. It had gained the central position in the crown of tho'House of Prussia. Later heads of th© dynasty appear to have lost sight of the tradition attached to tho gem which adorned their crown.

The keeper of the Prussian jowclhoi.se, tho hate Herr Graff Zuukelhorn, a leaned antiquarian, had, however, kept its fateful history in mind. . He -know that to tho years between 1919 and 1923 was .assigned tho climax in the awful record of misfortune and ruin marked out by tho stone.He implored his Royal master to "id himself of the jewel when ho was to be crowned King of Prussia. Wilhelm’s reply was. "You must understand that I am crowned by Ibe spirit of God and the ■will of my people. The Hohenz-ollem must endure for ever. No curso of evil can harm our dynasty.” So he was crowned with tho "Blazo of Glory,” and is to-day in eclipse.