The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: ¶ Whereby I, the undersigned, solemnly pledge to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure that, following my death, the decoration of a Knight of the Imperial Austrian Franz Joseph Order, most g...

Document information

Physical location:

F. J. O. 1863/245, Nr 10 Ordensarchiv, Abt. Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv, Österreichisches Staatsarchiv, Vienna. 63.10.20

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Chancellery of the Franz Joseph Order, Vienna, 1863-10-20. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/63-10-20>, accessed June 8, 2025

Revers

Womit ich Endesgefertigter mich feierlich verpflichte die erforderliche Einleitung zu treffen damit der von Seiner k. k. apostolischen Majestät mir allergnädigst verliehene Dekoration eines Ritters des kaiserlich österreichischen Franz Joseph Ordens, welcher mir von der Kanzlei des besagten hohen Ordens zugemittelt worden ist, nach meinem Ableben durch meine Erben an den Ordensschatz gehörig zurückgestellt werde.

MS is a pro-forma document in which 'Seiner k. K. apostolischen Majestät', ‘Dekoration’, 'Ritters', und 'Franz Joseph Ordens' have been entered in a different hand, and to which M has added his signature and address.

Ferd. Mueller,

Doctor d. Medicin u.

d. Philosophie.

Melbourne,

im botanischen Garten,

am 20. Oct. 1863.

On 16 July 1863 Emperor Franz Joseph I minuted Baron von Lichtenfels: 'Lieber Freiherr von Lichtenfels! Ich verleihe dem Universitäts Professor und Direktor des botanischen Gartens in Melbourne in Australien Dr Ferdinand Müller das Ritterkreuz Meines Franz Joseph Ordens, wonach das Nöthige zu verfügen ist. Laxenburg 16 Juli 863' [Dear Baron von Lichtenfels, I invest the University Professor and Director of the botanic Garden in Melbourne, Australia, Dr Ferdinand Mueller, with the Knight's Cross of My Franz-Joseph-Order, after which what is required is to be enacted. Laxenburg 16 July [1]863]. (Laxenburg Castle was a royal residence some 15 km south of Vienna.) Lichtenfels signed the minute on 17 July 1863. The file also includes a second, slightly differently worded version of the Emperor’s minute.

Agreement

Whereby I, the undersigned, solemnly pledge to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure that, following my death, the decoration of a Knight of the Imperial Austrian Franz Joseph Order, most graciously bestowed on me by His Imperial Royal Apostolic Majesty, which has been forwarded to me by the Chancellery of the said Order, is returned by my heirs as belonging to the Order's Treasury.

Ferd. Mueller,

Doctor of Medicine and Philosophy.

Melbourne Botanic Garden,

20 October 1863.