116. O Emperor of Austria! He Who is the Dayspring of God's Light dwelt in the prison of Akka at the time when thou didst set forth to visit the Aqsa Mosque.
Francis Joseph (Franz Josef, 1830-1916), Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1869. While in the Holy Land he failed to take the opportunity to inquire about Baha'u'llah Who at that time was a prisoner in Akka (Acre). (216:2)

The Aqsa Mosque, literally, the "Most Distant" Mosque, is referred to in the Qur'an, and has become identified with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. (216:3)

117. O King of Berlin!
Kaiser William I (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig, 1797-1888), the seventh king of Prussia, was acclaimed first Emperor of Germany in January 1871 at Versailles in France, following the victory of Germany over France in the Franco-Prussian War. (216:4)

118. the one whose power transcended thy power, and whose station excelled thy station
This is a reference to Napoleon III (1808-1873), the Emperor of the French, who was regarded by many historians as the most outstanding monarch of his day in the West. (216:5)

Baha'u'llah addressed two Tablets to Napoleon III, in the second of which He clearly prophesied that Napoleon's kingdom would be "thrown into confusion", that his "empire shall pass" from his hands, and that his people would experience great "commotions". (216:6)

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