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Maximilian
(1832-1867)
Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, was the second son of Archduke
Francis Charles of Austria. At an early age, he
developed a keen interest in the sciences, particularly,
botany. After serving as commander in the Austrian
Navy and as Viceroy of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom, he
retired to private life, residing chiefly at the Trieste
with his young bride, Princess Charlotte (Carlotta),
daughter of Leopold I of Belgium.
It was in 1859 that Maximilian was first approached
by Mexican exiles proposing that he assume the throne of
Mexico, then in a state of anarchy. Although he
refused this initial proposal, Maximilian nevertheless
held a burning desire to visit the new World. In
1860, he journeyed to the tropical forests of Brazil on
a botanical expedition. While in Brazil he
acquired two exceptionally large diamonds which were to
be named for him. The EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN and the
MAXIMILIAN II.
The first was a 41.94 ct diamond with a strong blue
fluorescence which gives the diamond a soft luminosity
in daylight. The second diamond was of a
greenish-yellow tint and weighted 33 cts. After
his return to Europe, Maximilian presented the smaller
diamond to his wife, who wore it mounted as a pendant.
The MAXIMILIAN II is therefore sometimes called the
"Carlotta" Diamond.
In 1863, under pressure from Napoleon III, Maximilian
consented to accept the Mexican crown. His
acceptance went against the advice of his brother,
Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria. Maximilian
landed at Vera Cruz on May 28, 1864. From
the very outset his reign was highly troubled. By
1866, the necessity of his abdication was obvious to
everyone outside Mexico, including Napoleon himself.
However, Maximilian refused to desert his followers.
Fearing for her husband, Carlotta returned to Europe in
order to plead for aid. In May of 1867, Maximilian
was court-martialed and sentenced to death. He was
executed by a firing squad on June 19, 1867, along with
his two highest ranking generals. This dramatic
moment was depicted by Edouard Manet in his work titled
"The Execution of Maximilian." Painted in 1867,
this famous work was subsequently damaged and survives
today only as fragments in the national Gallery, London.
However, there are three known studies for this picture,
the most complete of which hangs in the Städtische
Kunsthalle in Mannheim.
When Carlotta left Mexico during the summer of 1866,
she left behind the 33 cts greenish-yellow diamond,
which her husband had given her.
Afterwards, it disappeared for over three decades
until, in 1901, two Mexicans attempted to smuggle it
into the United States. It was seized by Customs
and auctioned by the U.S. Government later the same year
for $120,000. In 1964, the diamond was purchased
by New York jeweler, Morris S. Nelkin. Fifteen
years later, a member of Mr. Nelkin's family suspected
that a prowler was in the house and hid the diamond in
the garbage pail. The next day the garbage was
collected and the diamond has been lost ever since,
despite an extensive search of the municipal dump.
Legend hold that Maximilian was wearing the EMPEROR
MAXIMILIAN diamond in a small satchel tied around his
neck when he faced the firing squad. Following the
execution, his remains were returned to Vienna and the
EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN diamond returned to his widow.
The diamond was subsequently sold to help pay expenses
during Carlotta's mental illness, and it disappears
until 1919, when it returns to America.
In 1919, the EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN diamond was purchased
by a Chicago gem dealer, Ferdinand Hotz. The
diamond was displayed at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair
as the highlight of a $5,000,000 exhibit which
reproduced a South African Diamond mine in operation
with native laborers. Mr. Hotz refused to sell the
diamond, and it remained in his possession until his
death in 1946. Over the course of time, the
EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN diamond was cut down slightly for one
reason or another, until it was mounted into a ring by
Cartier. It was subsequently acquired by a
private owner in whose collection the diamond
remains until the present day.
Literature:
"Diamonds, Famous,
Notable and Unique," Lawrence L. Copeland, Los
Angeles, 1966
"Notable Diamonds of
the World," N.W. Ayer Public Relations, new York,
1971
"The Diamond
Dictionary," Lawrence L. Copeland, Los Angeles,
1960
"The Diamonds,"
George G. Blakey, Paddington Press Ltd. New York, 1977
"Official Guide Book of
the World's Fair of 1934," Chicago, 1934
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