Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 41. (1990)
BEVERIDGE, Kent D.: „Worthy Representative of Europe“. Anton Graf Prokesch von Osten
Anton Graf Prokesch von Osten whom he revered, on 7 September 1871, had been the final factor in his decision25). At the ceremony in which Prokesch-Osten tendered his formal resignation, Emperor Franz Joseph I. elevated him to the hereditary rank of count (Graf), as Berger has it, in order that it be recognized with what regret the Emperor let him leave the diplomatic service26). During his final audience with the Sultan, he was awarded the Order of Osma- nié with diamonds for his services to the Ottoman Empire, and, as the steamer carrying him away from Constantinople rounded the Golden Horn, the cannons ashore fired a parting salute. Following his retirement from diplomatic service, Prokesch-Osten collected material for his memoirs - which were never completed - and travelled extensively in Europe and North Africa until his death on 26 October 1876. Anton Graf Prokesch von Osten first learned of the Bábí religion while reading a manuscript of Gobineau’s book Religions et Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale27). He expressed his favorable impression of the teachings of the Báb in a letter to Gobineau dated 5 January 1866: „Je suis ä la page 336 de votre livre au milieu de la doctrine des Bábís et sur le point de me faire Bábí moi-méme. Tout est merveilleux dans l’histoire de ce phénoméne histo- rique et humanitaire, jusqu’á l’ignorance mérne de l’Europe, sur un fait d’une importance si colossale. Moi, digne représentant de l’Europe sous ce rapport, je n’en savais pas le premier mot. C’est de vous que je l’ai appris.“ He notes that he is most impressed with „l’explication du mal par le seul fait de l’éloignement de l’émané de sa source“. This doctrine, he remarks, „est tout ä fait nouvelle et me páráit plus digne, plus élevée que tout ce qui a été dit, par aucun des fondateurs de religion ou philosophe“. Prokesch-Osten also states that „la doctrine regardant les prophetes me plait infiniment, parce qu’elle est conciliatrice et exclue au fond de tout fanatisme“28). During a dinner which Prokesch-Osten gave 25) Alexander Freiherr von Hübner, the Austrian minister in Paris, who had dealt with ‘Ali Pasha during the course of the international conference held there in 1856, also thought highly of him. Cf. Alexander von Hübner Neun Jahre der Erinnerung eines österreichischen Botschafters in Paris unter dem zweiten Kaiserreich 1 (Berlin 1904) 243. Even Beust had been favorably impressed by ‘Ali Pasha. Engel-Janosi Summer of 1870 342. 26) Berger Prokesch-Osten 109. 27) Prokesch-Osten to Gobineau, 29 December 1865 Correspondance 285. This religion was founded in 1844 by Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad, entitled „the Báb“; his adherents were known as Bábís. One of the major tenets of the Bábí religion, which arose in Persia, was the imminent appearance of a second, greater prophet, described by the Báb as „Him Who God will make manifest“. 28) Prokesch-Osten to Gobineau, 5 January 1866 Correspondance 287: „I am on page 336 of our book, in the middle of the teachings of the Bábís, and close to becoming a Bábí myself. Everything is wonderful in the history of this historical and humanitarian phenomenon, even the ignorance of Europe about a matter of such colossal importance. I, worthy representative of Europe in this respect, know nothing of it. I heard it from you.“ 143
