Baha'u'llah & the New Era 2006 - J. Esslemont
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Napoleon III
In the year 1869 Baha'u'llah wrote to Napoleon III, rebuking him for his lust of war and for the contempt with which he had treated a former letter from Baha'u'llah. The Epistle contains the following stern warning: - (151:1)

For what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a punishment for that which thou hast wrought. Then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred. Commotions shall seize all the people in that land, unless thou arisest to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of God (Jesus Christ) in this, the Straight Path. Hath thy pomp made thee proud? By My Life! It shall not endure; nay, it shall soon pass away, unless thou holdest fast by this firm Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of the heedless (151:2)

Needless to say, Napoleon, who was then at the zenith of his power, paid no heed to this warning. In the following year he went to war with Prussia, firmly convinced that his troops could easily gain Berlin; but the tragedy foretold by Baha'u'llah overwhelmed him. He was defeated at Saarbruck, at Weisenburg, at Metz, and finally in the crushing catastrophe at Sedan. He was then carried prisoner to Prussia, and came to a miserable end in England two years later (151:3)

Germany
Baha'u'llah later gave an equally solemn warning to the conquerors of Napoleon, which also fell on deaf ears and received a terrible fulfillment. In the Book of Aqdas, which was begun in Adrianople, and finished in the early years of Baha'u'llah's imprisonment in 'Akka, He addressed the Emperor of Germany as follows: - (151:4)

O King of Berlin! .. Do thou remember the one whose power transcended thy power (Napoleon III) and whose station excelled thy station. Where is he? Whither are gone the things he possessed? Take warning, and be not of them that are fast asleep. He it was who cast the Tablet of God behind him, when We made known unto him what the hosts of tyranny had caused Us to suffer. Wherefore, disgrace assailed him from all sides, and he went down to dust in great loss. Think deeply, O King, concerning him, and concerning them who, like unto thee, have conquered cities and ruled over men. The All- Merciful brought them down from their palaces to their graves. Be warned, be of them who reflect... (151:5)

O banks of the Rhine! We have seen you covered with gore, inasmuch as the swords of retribution were drawn against you; and you shall have another turn. And We hear the lamentations of Berlin, though she be today in conspicuous glory. - Kitab-i-Aqdas (151:5)

During the period of German successes in the Great War of 1914 - 1918, and especially during the last great German offensive in the spring of 1918, this well- known prophecy was extensively quoted by the opponents of the Baha'i Faith in Persia, in order to discredit Baha'u'llah; but when the forward sweep of the victorious Germans was suddenly transformed into crushing, overwhelming disaster, the efforts of these enemies of the Baha'i Cause recoiled on themselves, and the notoriety which they had given to the prophecy became a powerful means of enhancing the reputation of Baha'u'llah (151:7)

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