To understand the political state of Afghanistan, into which the army
marched for the purpose of restoring Shah Shooja to its throne, it will
be necessary to go back to the early part of the last century, when
Nadir Shah had raised himself to the throne of Persia. His name having
become formidable as a conqueror, he turned his thoughts to the conquest
of India, and, assuming sufficient pretexts for breaking the relations
of amity which he professed for the monarch of that country, he
determined to invade it, and for that purpose began his march in 1738.
Taking with him some of the chiefs of Afghanistan, he crossed the Punjab
and entered Delhi. He there raised enormous contributions, and seized
upon everything worth taking away; amongst other things the far-famed
Peacock throne, in which was the renowned diamond called "The Mountain
of Light." The spoils with which he returned to Persia were valued at
nearly seventy millions of pounds sterling. It is not necessary to
follow the history of Nadir; it will be enough to say that, amidst the
confusion which followed his death, Ahmed Khan obtained possession of
part of his treasure, amongst which was the great diamond.
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