# Chronological study: Tablets to the Rulers

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Melissa Tansik, Chronological study: Tablets to the Rulers, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Chronological study:
> 
> Tablets to the Rulers
> 
> Melissa Tansik
> 
> 1998
> 
> Introduction
> 
> I started out wondering about the particular rulers to whom the letters
> were sent. My first question was: What does every school-age child know
> about these monarchs? In order to answer that, I consulted every child's
> favorite reference, World Book Encyclopedia, in the various articles on the
> monarchs. The first thing I discovered was that most of them were
> considered, at some point, to be liberal thinkers and, in some cases,
> potential reformers. What happened? For the purposes of my timeline, I was
> mostly interested in the European monarchs because it was the process of
> the rise of the nation state that I wanted to track. I was not as
> interested in Queen Victoria because England was already a stable, single
> entity; and I was not as interested in Russia because political change
> there was slower.
> 
> The ultimate questions I want to explore are: What are some of the pivotal
> historical events from 1844-1871 that gave rise to the nation state? Are
> there any historical parallels, implications for our own time period?
> That is the background, the point from which I began, and the point from
> which my essay begins.
> 
> I believe that there are significant historical similarities between the
> time in which we are living, and the time in which the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh
> lived and exhorted the rulers of the earth to turn their attention toward
> God and His Manifestations. History has given us some crucial lessons, if
> you will pay attention to them.
> 
> By the time the Báb declared His Mission to the world, civilization
> was already changing. By 1844, especially in western Europe, there had
> been some significant changes in the way people thought and interacted.
> Western Europe had experienced 'enlightenment.' A new age of skepticism
> had arisen, and old structures and traditional ways of doing things were
> falling away. Compared to even 50 years earlier, people were living longer
> and in better health; more people were literate and more were formally
> educated; an influential, commercial, middle class had arisen;
> technological advances allowed more profitable use of land and resources;
> industrialization was luring more people to city centers; many countries
> had colonies or trading partners in other parts of the world; monarchies
> and leaders still spoke of 'divine right' but increasingly groups were
> forming to draw attention to the needs of the 'common man.' While many
> citizens were still disenfranchised, the will of the populous was being
> addressed by elected and appointed officials. In England, Parliament had
> real legislative power. The Bahá'í writings tell us that when the
> Manifestation appears, a fresh wave of energy accelerates the growth of
> God's Plan for His creatures. The Báb's announcement came at a time when
> western European countries were coalescing from a collection of squabbling,
> warring principalities into true nations. The timeline below illustrates
> some of the changes that took place beginning with the Báb's Declaration in
> 1844. Of course, the process had begun much earlier, but it is the rapid
> acceleration toward the modern western European states with which we are
> familiar that caught my attention.
> 
> This is a very skeletal timeline covering, in general, only 1844-1871
> highlighting the rise of the nation states. The Promised Day Is Come gives
> a full account of what befell each of the recipients of Bahá'u'lláh's
> messages.
> 
> 1844 The Báb declares His Mission
> 
> Napoleon III writes 'The Extinction of Poverty'
> 
> 1846 Pius IX is elected pope because it is felt he is the liberal candidate
> 
> 1848-49Marx and Engles write "The Manifesto of the Communist Party"
> 
> Pius IX flees popular uprising in Rome; Roman Republic proclaimed
> 
> Constitutions are granted to the Italian States
> 
> Revolution in Paris; Second Republic is proclaimed
> 
> Uprising in Vienna; Hungary and Czech autonomy demanded
> 
> Uprising in Berlin; Frederick Wilhelm IV grants constitutions to German States
> 
> Hungary claims independence from Austria
> 
> Austria gains a Constitution
> 
> Serfs are freed in Austria
> 
> France suppresses the Roman Republic and restores Pius IX
> 
> 1850 Prussian attempt to unify German States halted by Austrian treat of war;
> 
> Germanic Confederation established
> 
> Cavour, Prime Minister of Sardinia, promotes anti-clerical legislation
> 
> 1852 Napoleon III names himself Emperor of France
> 
> 1856 National Society created to work for Italian unity
> 
> 1858 War with Austria secretly planned by Napoleon III and Cavour
> 
> 1859 Peace of Villafranca between France and Austria
> 
> Between the 1860s and 1880s a number of societies of workers were formed to
> better conditions and increase their social/political power. Many of these
> societies acquired legal status between 1870 and 1900.
> 
> 1860 Garibaldi invades Italy
> 
> 1861 Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy under Vittorio Emmanuele II
> 
> 1861 Russian serfs freed
> 
> 1862 Bismarck becomes first minister of Prussia
> 
> 1863 Bahá'u'lláh declares His Mission
> 
> 1864 Pius IX writes 'Syllabus of Errors'
> 
> 1866 Austria defeated in Seven Weeks' War
> 
> 1867 Marx writes "Das Kapital"
> 
> First women are admitted to the University of Zurich
> 
> New Parliament with limited powers for all Germany set up by the German States
> 
> Garibaldi's invasion of Papal States halted by papal and French forces
> 
> Austro-Hungarian Empire formed
> 
> 1868 Bahá'u'lláh arrives in Holy Land
> 
> 1869 Second Tablet to Napoleon III sent -- followed by Tablets to the
> 
> other Rulers
> 
> 1870 Franco-Prussian War declared
> 
> Withdrawal of the French garrison from Rome allows Italian troops to enter the
> 
> city. After a plebiscite, Rome becomes capital of Italy
> 
> All German States unite to defeat France
> 
> 1871 German Empire inaugurated at Versailles
> 
> Law of Guarantees defines relationship between Italy and the Papal States; income
> 
> and independence are assured the pope and extra territoriality granted the
> 
> Vatican State
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh's letters to the rulers came at a crucial time in this
> process. Clearly, the old order of the day was giving way to a new, more
> egalitarian structure. Bahá'u'lláh warns the rulers that they must be
> aware of their responsibilities before God. They must turn toward God and
> His Manifestation for guidance; otherwise, they will be swept away along
> with the outmoded traditions and systems they represent. On one level, He
> may have had some hope the monarchs would heed His call. Of those to whom
> He wrote, all but Wilhelm I had shown some signs of liberality of thought.
> Thumbnail sketches from encyclopedia accounts seem to indicate that these
> rulers were, to a certain extent, in tune with their time.
> 
> Pope Pius IX originally favored unification of the Italian States. He
> was elected pope because it was felt he was a liberal choice; however,
> continued threats to papal power caused him to become much more
> conservative. In 1864 he wrote "Syllabus of Errors" in which he condemned
> what he believed were errors of modern thought -- liberalism, rationalism,
> communism and socialism. By 1870 Italy had absorbed all the Papal States
> except the Vatican, the Lateran palaces and the papal villa at Castel
> Gandolfo. The pope shut himself inside the Vatican and considered himself
> a prisoner.
> 
> Napoleon III wrote "The Extinction of Poverty" in 1844; this treatise
> proposed the government act to end poverty and suffering. In 1848 he was
> elected President of France but instead of working to end suffering and
> poverty, he spent the next four years consolidating power. He named
> himself Emperor in 1852. He was a dictator surrounded by dishonest men.
> The legislature and the press had no power or authority. After 1860, in an
> attempt to increase his popularity and power, he began to move in the
> direction of a liberal empire, but by then people had begun to demand a
> democracy. His policy unraveled as he entered into a number of unfortunate
> political alliances, skirmishes, and deceitful dealings which led, finally,
> to his defeat in 1870 by the Germans. Two days after his surrender, the
> revolutionists overthrew the empire. He died an exile in England in 1873.
> 
> Alexander II was called the Czar liberator because he freed the
> Russian serfs in 1861. He also carried out judicial reforms, especially in
> the courts, and improved the financial administration. In addition, he
> ended censorship, permitted provincial representative assemblies, and
> promoted industrialization and railroad building. Alexander fought and
> defeated the Turks. Nevertheless, vigorous revolutionary leaders demanded
> further reforms and greater political and social power. In 1881 Alexander
> II was assassinated. He was followed by Alexander III who was much more
> autocratic and repressive.
> 
> Franz Joseph was a popular ruler but also believed in military force.
> After Austria was defeated in the Seven Week's War of 1866, he adopted a
> much more liberal attitude allowing Hungarians equal rights which
> eventually led to the formation of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1867.
> 
> Victoria I was the most successful of the monarchs in that she saw the
> best interests of her subjects were the best interests of herself. When
> she became Queen, the English people had very little respect for the throne
> because the previous Kings had been profligate and unconcerned with the
> welfare of their subjects. Victoria proved to be hard-working and caring,
> but she realized her role was as a symbol of national tradition and pride.
> The real power in Britain, then as now, resided in the Parliament.
> 
> Wilhelm I opposed constitutional reform and supported the policies of
> his Prime Minister, Bismarck, who united Germany through ruthless political
> and military tactics. Bismarck once declared that the great problems of
> his time would be solved through "blood and iron" not speeches and
> resolutions.
> 
> By virtue of their positions and power, the rulers addressed by
> Bahá'u'lláh could have implemented great changes among their people and
> promulgated God's Plan through the whole world. Had they been prepared to
> turn to Bahá'u'lláh, God's Messenger for this day, they would have learned
> at His feet how to build the future world civilization. They would have
> been part of the solution to man's lack of true spirituality and separation
> from God rather than encouragers of disunity and disintegration. When the
> Kitáb-i-Aqdás appeared, they would have welcomed the guidance as a means of
> bringing about a peaceful union of their countries, their colonies, and the
> world -- a means of creating the Kingdom of God on earth for which they had
> been taught to pray in 'The Lord's Prayer.' But they rejected the Lord of
> the Age and utterly misunderstood His Message, so mankind is still
> struggling toward its goal of unity. The rulers of Bahá'u'lláh's day
> preoccupied themselves with earthly power. They could not suppress their
> egos, selfish desires, and thirst for personal power. Like Esau in the Old
> Testament, they bartered away their inheritance for a cup of stew.
> 
> What is the implication for those us who live in 1998? The world is
> now at another critical juncture. In the 19th century separate, small,
> political entities came together to build the modern nations of the world.
> In this day, the nations are moving ever closer to the promised world
> commonwealth. I believe one lesson to be learned from the mistakes of
> those kings and rulers who were addressed by Bahá'u'lláh is that we must
> firmly put aside our own egos, material considerations and desires to
> concentrate on the spiritual and material needs of all mankind.
> 
> Another lesson is that the leaders of thought will need the assistance
> of those who have the Message of God for this day. Our leaders may have
> difficulty disassociating themselves from the selfish desire for individual
> power. Unlike the kings and rulers in the 19th century, our leaders do not
> have the bounty of receiving the Word from the Manifestation Himself. Only
> Bahá'ís, the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, have the Message of God for this
> day. If we learn from the lessons of the past, Bahá'ís must realize our
> grave responsibility to accomplish what those who had material power failed
> to do in the past -- we must assist in the birth of God's Kingdom on Earth.
> "In these days, the most important of all things is the guidance of the
> nations and peoples of the world. Teaching the Cause is of utmost
> importance for it is the head corner-stone of the foundation itself."
> Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p.10
> 
> "Every Bahá'í, however humble or inarticulate, must become intent on
> fulfilling his role as a bearer of the Divine Message. Indeed, how can a
> true believer remain silent while around us men cry out in anguish for
> truth, love and unity to descend upon this world?"
> Messages from the Universal House of Justice: 1963-1986, p. 154
> 
> "The Message of Bahá'u'lláh is God's guidance for mankind to overcome the
> difficulties of this age of transition and move forward into the next stage
> of its evolution, and human beings have the right to hear it.... The
> slowness of the response of the world has caused and is causing great
> suffering; hence the historical pressure upon Bahá'ís to exert every effort
> to teach the Faith for the sake of their fellowmen."
> Messages from the Universal House of Justice: 1963-1968, p. 514
> 
> Books Consulted:
> 
> Illustrated History of Europe: a Unique Portrait of Europe's Common
> History. Federic Delouche, ed. New York, Henry Holt and Company, 1992
> Messages from the Universal House of Justice: 1963-1986. Wilmette, IL,
> Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1996
> Roberts, J.M., A History of Europe. New York, Allen Lane The Penguin
> Press, 1997
> Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come. Wilmette, IL, Bahá'í Publishing
> Trust, 1980
> Taherzadeh, Adib, The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Adrianople, 1963-68,
> Volume 2. Oxford, George Ronald, 1977
> Taherzadeh, Adib, The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: 'Akká, The Early Years,
> 1968-77, Volume 3. Oxford, George Ronald, 1984
> Toynbee, Arnold, Mankind and Mother Earth: A Narrative History of the
> World. New York, Oxford University Press, 1976
> Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Wilmette, IL., Bahá'í Publishing
> Trust, 1991
> The World Book
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views13985 views since posted 1998; last edit 2012;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../tansik_tablets_rulers;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
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> Formatted 1999 by Jonah Winters.
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> Citation: ris/1148
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> — *Chronological study: Tablets to the Rulers (Used by permission of the curator)*