Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 41. (1990)

BEVERIDGE, Kent D.: „Worthy Representative of Europe“. Anton Graf Prokesch von Osten

Rent D. Beveridge

ment would pay passage only for those persons whose names appeared on their prisoner lists. Much to the surprise of the officials in Gallipoli, several Baha’is not included on the Ottoman registers came forward to pay their own passage on the Austrian Lloyd steamship which departed for Alexandria on 21 August 1868. In Alexandria, the exiles were transshipped to a second Austrian Lloyd steamer bound for Haifa, the port in Palestine closest to ‘Akku67). The final letter regarding Bahá’u’lláh’s banishment to ‘Akká which has come to light in the course of research was written by Gobineau to Prokesch-Osten on 18 November 1868. „J’ai requ une longue lettre du [Bahá’u’lláh]“, he writes. „II est ä Saint-Jean- d’Acre, prisonnier dans une caserne en ruines avec une partié des siens, hommes, femmes et enfants...“ Gobineau then describes the situation in ‘Akká as related to him by Bahá’u’lláh68).

Concerning the reasons for this exile, Gobineau writes that he is willing to believe Fu’ád Pasha, who has assured Prokesch-Osten that ,,1’argent et les intrigues de la légation persane [in Constantinople] ne sont pour rien dans cette affaire; mais alors ce qui reste, c’est une brutalité turque, qui n’a pas le moindre prétexte pour s’exercer.“69) The missionaries’ conjecture that the Bahá’ís wish to convert to Christianity is „par trop ridicule“, he writes. „Quand on se croit Dieu et compagnon d’un Dieu, et qu’on a quitté son pays et subi toutes les persécutions du monde pour cela, on ne se convertit pas ä culte different.“ Gobineau states he is attempting to do what he can to help these unfortunates. „Mais vous savez combién j’ai de chances d’étre compris.“ He then adds that Bahá’u’lláh has asked him to convey his gratitude to Prokesch-Osten for the latter’s interest in his situation and that of his companions. Gobineau states in closing that he cannot recommend this affair to Prokesch-Osten enough, „parce que je crains que mon livre [i. e. Religions et Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale], en attirant l’attention sur

67) KentD. Beveridge FromAdririople to ‘Akká: The Austrian Lloyd in Bahá’í Studies Bulletin vol.4, no. 1 (March 1986) and sources cited there.

68) Gobineau to Prokesch-Osten, 18 November 1868 Corrrespondance 336f. „I have received a long letter from [Bahá’u’lláh]. He is in St. Jean d’Acre, held prisoner in a barracks which stands in ruins, along with some of his companions - men, women, children...“ The description is very similiar to that given in a second letter from Abbás Effendi to Rev. Rosenberg which is cited in M o m e n Religions 203 f., as well as that contained in the „Tablet to the Sultan of Turkey“ quoted in Bahá’í Scriptures: Selections from the Utterances of Bahá’u’lláh and Abdu’l-Bahá ed. Horace Holley (New York 1921) 81ff.

69) Gobineau is willing to believe that „the money and the intrigues of the Persian legation [in Constantinople] have nothing to do with this matter; what then remains is a Turkish brutality, committed without the least excuse.“ Prokesch-Osten had obviously written of Fu’ád Pasha’s statement in one of his letters not contained in their published correspondence (see note 40). Blunt’s dispatch to Elliot (Momen Religions 192) shows that the assurance was given during the audience on 24 August.

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