The Dagger of Topkapı

This is the famous Dagger of Topkapı.

It was made in the 1740s, during the rule of Sultan Mahmud the First. It was not made for war. It was made as a rich gift.

The gift was meant for Nadir Shah. He was the Shah, or king, of Persia. But the dagger never became his for long. After the sudden death of the Shah, the dagger came back to the Ottoman treasury.

The dagger is precious and very well known. Its grip has large emeralds. These green stones helped make it famous around the world.

Many years later, this dagger inspired the movie Topkapı. The film starred Melina Mercouri and Peter Ustinov. Because of that movie, the dagger became one of the most famous treasures of Topkapı Palace.