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Fall of Napoleon III and the loss of his empire (18:21) Napoleon III of France was the most prominent and influential monarch of the western world at the time of Baha'u'llah. In Baha'u'llah's first Tablet to him, He proclaimed that He was from God and commanded the emperor to give ear to His Voice. Napoleon is reported to have flung down the Tablet and said "If this man is God, I am two gods!" (pdc 52) (18:22) Because of this, Baha'u'llah wrote a second Tablet to Napoleon in which He states: (18:23) Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst have not cast behind thy back the Book of God, when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise. We have proved thee through it, and found thee other than that which thou didst profess. Arise, and make amends for that which escaped thee. Erelong the world and all that thou possessest will perish, and the kingdom will remain unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy fathers of old. It behoveth thee not to conduct thine affairs according to the dictates of thy desires. Fear the sighs of this Wronged One, and shield Him from the darts of such as act unjustly. (18:25) 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 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 to this firm Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of the heedless. (slh 72) (18:26) Baha'u'llah wrote these words in 1869. Less than a year later, Napoleon was defeated in what was, at that time, the greatest surrender recorded in modern history.
(18:27)
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