An Oguz Turk from the Avsar Tribe named Nadir Han, having overthrown the Safevi dynasty and taken the throne of Iran as Shah Nadir, embarked upon a great series of conquests. First he marched against the Timurogullari in India, and entering their capital city of Delhi carried off their legendary treasury to Iran. Among the treasures there was also the famous Peacock Throne, which is now on display at the Topkapi Palace Treasury as the Nadir Shah Throne. The campaign extended as far as Turkestan and the Caucasus Mountains. Thinking to establish good and friendly relations with the Ottomans, Nadir Shah sent two of his trusted men, Sanli Mustafa Han and Mehmed Mehdi Han with an embassy and extremely valuable gifts to the Ottoman Padishah, Sultan Mahmud the First. Among these gifts was included the Peacock Throne taken from the Delhi treasures.
On 11 May 1747, the Ottoman Padishah Mahmud the First also sent an embassy with valuable gifts and led by Kesriyeli Ahmed Pasha to Nadir Shah. Among the gifts which Sultan Mahmud sent was a particularly outstanding dagger whose handle and sheath were decorated with precious stones. The Treasury Master had had this dagger made by the foremost jewelers of Istanbul, having provided all the stones necessary from the Treasury. The ambassadors of the two sides met near Baghdad and with a special ceremony displayed their treasures to one another. A few days later the Iranian embassy set out for Baghdad and the Turkish embassy for Hamedan.
About the time the Turkish embassy crossed the Iranian border, news reached them that Nadir Shah had been assassinated in his headquarters at Fethabad. With nothing left to do, the leader of the embassy, Ahmed Pasha decided to return immediately so as to prevent the gifts from being plundered. Indeed after a host of troubles they managed to return no Ottoman lands, but no damage had occurred to the gifts. Arriving in Istanbul they surrendered the gifts in their original condition to be Treasury. The Iranian embassy on the other hand had reached Baghdad and requested asylum from the Ottoman government, which was granted to them. All the gifts which they had brought with them, including of course the Peacock Throne were handed over to the Ottoman Treasury.
Thus today the Emerald Dagger, subject of the movie "Topkapi", is on display at the Treasury of Topkapi Palace, the dagger which had been prepared among the gifts to be sent to Nadir Shah. The dagger is 35 centimeters long. On one side of the sheath are there large, clear emeralds the size of pigeon's eggs, and it is for this reason that it has become famous as the "Emerald Dagger". The emeralds are surrounded with diamonds. At the point of the handle is an octagonal cover of emerald, which reveals a small watch when lifted. The cover and the handle are decorated with enamel and diamonds. The dagger's sheath, made of gold, has a separate beauty and richness of its own. The enamelled flowers and diamonds each constituting a separate motif dazzle the eye. At the lightly turned end of the sheath is a large emerald.
Whereabouts: Topkapi Palace
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