Anton von Schmerling

Anton Ritter von Schmerling (23 August 180523 May 1893) was an Austrian statesman.

Life Von Schmerling was born in Vienna, where his father held a high position on the judicial side of the civil service.

After studying law at Vienna, in 1829 Schmerling entered the public service, and during the next eighteen years was constantly occupied, chiefly in Lower Austria. In 1847, as a member of the lesser nobility, he entered the Estates of Lower Austria and took an active part in the Liberal movement for administrative and constitutional reform of which they were the center. On the outbreak of the revolution in Vienna in March 1848, when the mob broke into the Assembly, Schmerling was one of the deputation which carried to the palace the demands of the people, and during the next few days he was much occupied in organizing the newly formed National Guard. At the end of the month he was sent by the ministry to Frankfurt as one of the men of public confidence. Grand Cross of the Austrian Imperial Order of Leopold, 1862 Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, 1873 Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III, 5 June 1875 Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, 1849 Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order, 1863 Beylik of Tunis: Order of Glory