Topkapi Emerald Dagger
Title: Topkapi Emerald Dagger
Date: 1746
Medium: Gold, steel, emeralds, diamonds
The Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I commissioned and gifted this dagger to the Iranian ruler Nadir Shah following the signing of the Treaty of Kerden, a peace treaty ending the Ottoman-Persian War of 1743-1746. However, Nadir Shah was assassinated before the dagger was delivered, so it was return to the Topkapi Palace.
The dagger’s hilt and sheath are composed of valuable solid gold and contain many diamonds and emeralds, enameled flowers on the sheath, and a clock built into the hilt. The expensive materials and intricate design demonstrate how the Ottomans strove for extravagance with their diplomatic gifts to assert their power.
The dagger received international fame following the release of the 1964 film Topkapi, which follows a fictional, attempted heist of the Topkapi Emerald Dagger.