FRANCIS Joseph I in the garb of a nobleman - ferrotype.

[FRANCIS Joseph I Emperor - portrait photograph]. [l. 60s of the 19th century]. Photograph on iron plate [ferrotype] form. 9.2x5.9 cm, of unknown authorship.
Image of the emperor captured in full figure, in the Polish national costume. Photograph taken in commemoration of the Austrian-Polish Settlement. Minor emulsion loss at edges, back slightly corroded, otherwise good condition. See item below.
Franz Joseph I, German. Franz Joseph I, Hungarian: I. Ferenc József - (1830-1916) - representative of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, from 1848 Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary.
Austrian-Polish Sett lement - a settlement negotiated between the Polish nobility of Galicia and the Austrian government (mainly the Belcredi and Taafe governments) in 1866-1869. The Austro-Hungarian Settlement, concluded in 1867, transferred power in Zalitavia to Hungarians and in Pre-Litavia to Austrians. However, both nations were a minority in their respective countries. Therefore, the Austrians needed an additional ally to maintain parliamentary rule. The parliamentary support for them became the Poles. In 1866-1869, a settlement was reached between Galician noble politicians and the Austrians. At that time it was expected that Austria would go to war in alliance with France against Prussia and Russia, which would immediately renew the Polish cause. Galician politicians therefore saw Poland's future in connection with Austria, and this led them to make concessions to the central government. That is why they voted for the December Constitution, although they wanted, like the Czechs, to separate Galicia into a separate state unit on the model of Hungary. On the other hand, the central government benefited from the fact that in Galicia there was a dispute between the countryside and the manor over servitudes, and a dispute with the Ukrainians, whom the government could always use politically against Polish politicians of the nobility, because, as an almost peasant nation at the time, they saw the Poles as enemies not only for national, but above all for social reasons. This is what further induced the Polish politicians to make a settlement, to which they remained faithful until the end of Franz Joseph I's life. In return, the administration of the country was handed over to them, and the governor, as a rule, always became a Pole. This resulted in the Polonization of the administration, education and judiciary. Polish politicians from Galicia also often served in Austrian governments. (Wikipedia).