Franz Joseph I. (1830-1916, Emperor from 1848 until 1916)

Son of the Austrian Archduke Franz Karl and the Bavarian Princess Sophie. Became Austro-Hungarian Emperor in 1848 after the abdication of his uncle Emperor Ferdinand I. It was under his reign that the Imperial Geological Survey ("Geologische Reichsanstalt") was founded and the two Imperial Museums were built and made open to the public. The mineralogical - petrographical collections were augmented through valuable additions arising from the purchase of two important mineral collections (the Hidden collection and the collection of the Privy Council Freiherr von Braun), as well as several smaller collections.