To the Chancellery of the Franz Joseph Order   20 October 1863

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.1

Ferd. Mueller,

Doctor d. Medicin u.

d. Philosophie.

 

Melbourne,

im botanischen Garten,

am 20. Oct. 1863.2

 
 
 

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.3

Ferd. Mueller,

Doctor of Medicine and Philosophy.

 

Melbourne Botanic Garden,

20 October 1860.

Johannes, do you recall: is this a pro-forma printed document with 'Seiner k. K. apostolischen Majestät', 'Ritters', und 'Franz Joseph Ordens' [all in different writing] filled in by hand, or is the whole handwritten by an amanuensis? [Depending on the answer, it has to be typed in different fonts]. — The signature etc. are in M's hand.
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. Luxemburg'. — [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, and ordain that all necessary arrangements for this are to be attended to]. Lichtenfels signed the minute on 17 July 1863.
The Order was returned by M and received by the Lord High Chamberlain's Office 18 November 1893 (see [p. 2], 814. 852. 1207 R. 1863., File 1863r 58/3, 524 B Oberkämmerersamt, Abt. Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchive, Österreichisches Staatsarchiv, Vienna).

Please cite as “FVM-63-10-20,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells accessed on 28 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/63-10-20