In 1997 a Swiss bankers' association published a list of dormant
accounts untouched for 50 years, and among them was one set up by
Princess Catherine Duleep Singh. Intrigued, a British journalist
Campbell began an attempt to trace her. She was the wife of the
last Emperor of the Sikhs, who in 1849, when he was ten, was forced
by the British to sign away his kingdom in the Punjab, and to hand
over to Queen Victoria the Koh-i-Nor, which would become the
largest jewel in her crown. Unknown to the Queen, the Emperor had
spent many years plotting - in a country house in Suffolk - a
revolution against her which would regain for him his kingdom. The
British Secret Service was also heavily involved, while the Queen
was told only what she needed to know - which by all accounts was
not enough. This is a story too complex for summary and almost too
complex for a book of 150,000 words; the official reports, private
correspondence, gossip and fact which Campbell has uncovered make
for fascinating reading, and if at the end the story still raises
unanswered questions, those too are part of the fascination.
(Kirkus UK)
"'The Maharajah's Box'… set Campbell on the trail of one of the most extraordinary characters in the history of the British Raj… a readable, entertaining and well researched biography of a flamboyant but ultimately tragic figure caught between two cultures."
CHRISTOPHER ANDREW, 'Observer'
In June 1997 the Swiss Bankers' Association published a list of over 1700 'dormant accounts', untouched for over fifty years. Among the names – supposedly those of Jewish victims of the holocaust – was an Indian princess, 'last heard of in 1942 living in Penn, Buck'. Intrigued, Christy Campbell began a search which took him to India, France and Russia and was to uncover a remarkable tale of conspiracy, deceit and imperial 'realpolitik.' The story of how the ten-year-old Maharajah Duleep Singh was deprived of the Punfjab by the British in 1849, lost the world famous Koh-i-Noor diamond to Queen Victoria, was bought to London and became a Christianised country gentleman, then plotted to recover his kingdom while being spied on by the British foreign secret service, is a marvellously enthralling real-life historical thriller.
"In this gaslit swirl of sinister Russians, Fenian plotters, British spies, French Intriguers and Indian Schemers, no to mention the great game and Queen Victoria, the story seems right up the great detective [Sherlock Holmes]'s street. The sleuth, however, is the author, who takes us entertainingly through the labrynth."
TREVOR FISHLOCK, 'Sunday telegraph'
"A splendidly readable and illuminating book."
ANTHONY CRONIN, 'Sunday Independent' (Dublin)
"Succeeds eminently as a racy thrilling account."
NEVTEJ SARNA, 'Times Literary Supplement'
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
