!!!Johann, Erzherzog von Österreich

Johann, Archduke of Austria, b. Florence (Italy), Jan. 20, 1782, 
d. Graz (Styria), May 10, 1859. 13th child of Leopold, Grand 
Duke of Tuscany, who became Emperor  Leopold II,  
Franz°II (I). Originally destined for a military career, J. 
soon developed particular interest in nature, technology and 
agriculture; he collected minerals, was an alpinist and hunter. In the 
Napoleonic Wars J. served as field marshal and general manager of 
military engineering and fortifications. On December 3, 1800 he lost 
the battle of Hohenlinden and in 1805 fought the French and the 
Bavarians. In 1808 he organised the Landwehr reserve army for the 
popular uprising against Napoleon in Tyrol and in Inner-Austria; in 
1809 he supported  Tyrol's fight for freedom led by the Tyrolean 
peasant and freedom fighter A.  Hofer, and became commander in chief 
of the Southern Army against E. Beauharnais. Victorious at Sacile, but 
defeated at Raab.

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Because of his participation in the  Alpenbund, a Tyrolean resistance 
movement, and after the suppression of the Tyrolean popular uprising, 
his brother, Emperor Franz I forbade him to set foot on Tyrolean soil. 
He therefore turned his attention to Styria. In 1811 laid the 
foundation for the  Joanneum museum in Graz by donating his 
collections. The following institutions were generally encouraged by 
Archduke J.: Styrian Archives (1817), School for Mining and 
Metallurgical Practice in Vordernberg (from 1849 in Leoben,  
University of Mining and Metallurgy), the Styrian Agricultural 
Association (1819), the insurance agency for fire damage 
"Wechselseitige", the "Steiermarkische Sparkasse" savings bank, the 
"Landesoberrealschule", a secondary school emphasising studies of 
mathematics and science (1845), the Association for Styrian History 
(1850). In 1818 he acquired the  Brandhof estate near Mariazell and 
transformed it into an alpine model farm. In 1822 he acquired two iron 
works in  Vordernberg and became owner of an iron mine, revolutionised 
the extraction and production of ore at the  Erzberg open-cast mine in 
Styria by founding the Vordernberger Radmeister-Communitaet in 1835, 
the first railway using iron rails on the European continent. Also 
acquired a sheet-metal factory in Krems and coal mines near Koeflach. 
In 1841 purchased the domain of Stainz including the former monastery, 
where he was also the first freely elected mayor in 1851. At Pickern 
near Marburg (Slovenia) J. founded a vine-growing estate and 
introduced vine plants from the Rhineland. One of his special 
achievements was the routing of the Southern railway from Vienna to 
Trieste, via the Semmering and the Muerz and Mur valleys and Graz. His 
affection for the common people was reflected in his close contact 
with them, he wore traditional costumes ( Steireranzug), collected 
folk art and encouraged the material and intellectual culture of the 
country. In 1829 married Anna Plochl, the daughter of a postmaster 
from Aussee. Their descendants were given the title " Grafen von 
Meran" (Counts of Merano). His autobiographical work, "Der Brandhofer 
und seine Hausfrau" gives interesting insights into his life-style. J. 
enjoyed the company of numerous artists ("chamber painters") and 
scientists. In 1848 was nominated the Emperor´s deputy and 
opened the Constituent Imperial Diet in Vienna. In 1848 he was also 
elected Administrator of the Realm by the all-German National Assembly 
in Frankfurt, but resigned from this office in 1849. J. is buried in 
Schenna near Meran/Merano (South Tyrol).

!Literature
A. Schlossar, Erzherzog J. im Liede, 1882; K. L. 
Schubert, Erzherzog J. und der Bergbau, 1954; W. Koschatzky, Der 
Brandhofer, %%sup 3/%1978; V. Theiss, Erzherzog J. Der steirische 
Prinz, %%sup 2/%1981; G. Klingenstein (ed.), Erzherzog J. von 
Oesterreich, 1982; O. Pickl (ed.), Erzherzog J. von Oesterreich, 1982.


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