Abstract
The events of the mid-19th century marked a fundamental change for Central Europe, and the Austrian monarchy was no exception. Although the revolution of 1848 did not mean the permanent entrenchment of liberal changes (which did not occur until the adoption of the February Constitution in 1861), the changes associated with these events fundamentally changed the society of the empire.
The end of the division of society and the introduction of equality before the law also significantly affected the social position of businessmen. Before 1848, their legal status was not defined and prestige depended primarily on the place on the traditional ranking of the social hierarchy, which was linked to the holding of a noble title or burgher rights.
However, the year 1848 changed this situation and their prestige began to grow thanks to ever closer cooperation with the state and growing political influence. Since the change of the electoral rules to the Chamber of Deputies of the Austrian Imperial Council in 1873, businessmen have even had their own curia (chambers of commerce and trade).
At this time, the aristocratic title was no longer a prerequisite for belonging to the elite, but it remained an external symbol of prestige and many businessmen sought it. They saw in it a depiction of their achievements and a fulcrum for the historical memory of their entire family.
However, the path to it was not easy and in the case of businessmen it also differed significantly from other social groups of the monarchy.