Alfred von Arneth

Born at Vienna, he was the son of Joseph Calasanza von Arneth (1791–1863), a well-known historian and archaeologist, who wrote a history of the Austrian Empire (Vienna, 1827) and several works on numismatics[1] and brother of Doctor Franz Hektor von Arneth (1818–1907).

Alfred Arneth studied law, and became an official of the Austrian state archives, of which in 1868 he was appointed keeper.

In 1879 he was appointed president of the Kaiserliche Academie der Wissenschaften (Academy of Sciences) at Vienna, and in 1896 succeeded von Sybel as chairman of the historical commission at Munich.

[1] Von Arneth was an indefatigable worker, and, as director of the archives, his willingness to listen to the advice of experts, as well as his own sound sense, reportedly helped to promote the more scientific treatment and use of public records in most of the archives of Europe.

[1] Arneth also published in 1893 two volumes of early reminiscences under the title Aus meinem Leben.