The Most Famous Curses In Royal History

The stone now known as the Black Prince's ruby is part of the British royal family's Imperial State Crown. It's also not a ruby: it's a spinel. But it's still huge and essentially priceless. Oh, and it's cursed.

According to Gem Select, the Black Prince's not-ruby was probably mined in present-day Tajikistan, eventually ending up in Spain by 1300 in the possession of the Moorish Prince Abu Sa'id. At this time, the Moors ruled part of the Iberian peninsula, and the Christian ruler of Castile, Don Pedro, was trying to get it back. When Abu Sa'id agreed to surrender, Don Pedro invited him and his entourage to a castle to hammer out the details. Instead, the Spaniards slaughtered all of them. Legend says Don Pedro killed Prince Abu Sa'id himself, then searched his dead body for valuables and found the impressive stone.

But Pedro wouldn't have it for long. Forget the Moors, it was his own family he had to worry about. Pedro's half-brother, Henry of Trastamara, attacked Castille, and Pedro looked to England for help. Edward III's oldest son, also named Edward and known as "the Black Prince," came to help out, and left with his now-namesake "ruby" as part of his payment. As for the curse? Don Pedro died within three years, the Black Prince died a painful, lingering death before he could become king, and his son, Richard II, died aged 33 after losing his throne.

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