✚9487✚ Austro-Hungarian Empire pre WW1 Signum Memoriae Jubilee Medal I. Franz J

£24.99

Original pre WW1 Austro-Hungarian Empire Franz Joseph I. Signum Memoriae Jubilee Medal - 1898, THE MEDAL IS IN GOOD WORN CONDITION, ON NEW TRIFOLD MILITARY RIBBON, A GOOD EXAMPLE

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Franz Josef 50 year Memorial Medal 1898, 1- 5/8 inch in diameter Empire of Austria - Hungary Emperor Franz - Josef Medal in bronze diameter 35 mm. the face with a head and shoulders portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I facing right circumscribed ‘‘FRANC IOS. I. D. G. IMP. AUSTR REX BOH. ETC. AC AP REX HUNG.’ (Franz Joseph I, by the grace of God Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia etc. Apostolic King of Hungary); the reverse with a central rectangular plaque inscribed ‘SIGNUM MEMORIAE’ (Token of remembrance) within a wreath of laurel and oak and dated ‘MDCCCXLVIII – MDCCCXCVIII’ (1848 – 1898). The medal was issued to members of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces on 21 October 1898 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. This is an interesting medal with the portrait of Franz Josef of Austria. Franz Joseph was crowned Emperor of Austria in 1848 at the age of 18 after the Hungarian revolution, as his predecessor was simply deposed. He was also crowned King of Hungary in 1867 inan attempt to calm the situation with the problematic Magyars (Hungarians).In 1867, Emperor Francis Joseph was forced to come to a compromise with the Hungarian nation. The compromise gave Hungary its own constitution and a nearly independent status. After 1867 the empire was known as Austria-Hungary, and popularly referred to as the dual monarchy. Austria and Hungary were separate states, each with its own constitution, government, parliament, and language. The Hungarians predominated in Hungary while the Germans had a privileged position in Austria. The two states were linked by a single monarch, who was emperor in Austria and King in Hungary, and by common ministers of foreign affairs, war, and finance. This medal is worn on different ribbons depending which branch of the service the recipient was serving in.