Ignaz

Edler Edler () was until 1919 the lowest rank of nobility in Austria-Hungary and Germany, just beneath a ''Ritter'' (hereditary knight), but above untitled nobles, who used only the nobiliary particle ''von'' before their surname. It was mostly given to ...

von Born, also known as Ignatius von Born ( hu, Born Ignác, ro, Ignațiu von Born, cs, Ignác Born) (26 December 1742 in Alba Iulia, Grand Principality of Transylvania,

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...

– 24 July 1791 in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

), was a mineralogist and

metallurgist Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...

. He was a prominent

freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

, being head of Vienna's Illuminati lodge and an influential anti-clerical writer. He was the leading scientist in the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

during the 1770s in the

age of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...

. His interests include mining,

mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

palaeontology Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

,''Dvaasedmdesát jmen české historie (46/72). Ignác Born.''
(Film document by

Czech television Czech Television ( cs, Česká televize, italics=no ; abbreviation: ČT) is a public television broadcaster in the Czech Republic, broadcasting seven channels. Established after the Velvet Revolution in 1992, it is the successor to Czechoslov ...

, 2009), website. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...

and

malacology Malacology is the branch of invertebrate zoology that deals with the study of the Mollusca (mollusks or molluscs), the second-largest phylum of animals in terms of described species after the arthropods. Mollusks include snails and slugs, clams, ...

Biography

Born belonged to a noble family of

Transylvanian Saxon The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...

origin. He started school in his hometown, then was educated in a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

college in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, but left the Jesuits after sixteen months to study law at

Prague University ) , image_name = Carolinum_Logo.svg , image_size = 200px , established = , type = Public, Ancient , budget = 8.9 billion CZK , rector = Milena Králíčková , faculty = 4,057 , administrative_staff = 4,026 , students = 51,438 , underg ...

. He then travelled extensively to present-day Germany, the Netherlands, and France, studying mineralogy, and on his return to Prague in 1770 entered the department of mines and the mint. In 1776 he was appointed by

Maria Theresa Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...

to arrange the imperial museum at Vienna (german: link=no, K.k. Hof-Naturalienkabinette, the predecessor of today's Naturhistorisches Museum), where he was nominated to the council of mines and the mint, and continued to reside until his death. He introduced a method of extracting metals by amalgamation (''Uber des Anquicken der Erze'', 1786), and other improvements in mining and other technical processes. His publications also include ''Lithophylacium Bornianum'' (1772–1775) and ''Bergbaukunde'' (1789), besides several museum catalogues. Born attempted satire with no great success. ''Die Staatsperücke'', a tale published without his knowledge in 1772. He criticised state

bureaucracy The term bureaucracy () refers to a body of non-elected governing officials as well as to an administrative policy-making group. Historically, a bureaucracy was a government administration managed by departments staffed with non-elected offi ...

in this work. And an attack on Father Hell, the Jesuit, and king's astronomer at Vienna, are two of his satirical works. Part of a satire, entitled ''Monachologia'', in which the monks are described in the technical language of natural history, is also ascribed to him. Born was well acquainted with

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

and the principal modern languages of Europe, and with many branches of science not immediately connected with

and mineralogy. He took an active part in the political changes in Hungary. After the death of the emperor Joseph II, the diet of the states of Hungary rescinded many innovations of that ruler, and conferred the rights of denizen on several persons who had been favourable to the cause of the Hungarians, and, amongst others, on Born. In 1771 Born was elected a foreign member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special ...

and in 1774 a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

In 1781 Born proposed that Austria undertake a scientific voyage round the world, emulating those of Cook. The expedition was described in the press in the following terms:

Vienna, 20 July 1782. His Majesty the Emperor has ordered Councillor von Born, one of our Monarchy’s most learned savants, to put forward two subjects experienced in Natural History, to send to America in order to make new discoveries there. Mr. Heidinger, Adjunct in the Imperial Natural History Cabinet, and Doctor Maerter, Lecturer in Natural History at the Theresianum, were presented and approved; also, a Gardener and a Painter were included with them. They will go by Cape Horn to Otaheiti, from thence to Sandwich Island, to the American Coast on the North side of California, and finally to China. They both have knowledge of all areas of Natural History; it can therefore be assured that their discoveries will be of much greater ambit and usefulness than all that have been made hitherto, since Banks, Solander, and Forster looked at few other Objects of Natural History than Botany. At the end of August, they will sail on the Ship ''Comte de Cobenzell''.

Born himself hoped to lead the expedition, but the poor state of his health meant that he had to relinquish the post of leader in favour of

Franz Josef Maerter Franz may refer to: People * Franz (given name) * Franz (surname) Places * Franz (crater), a lunar crater * Franz, Ontario, a railway junction and unorganized town in Canada * Franz Lake, in the state of Washington, United States – see Fran ...

, who was accompanied by Franz Boos. Subsequently, in July 1789, Born recommended Thaddaeus Haenke to the Spanish Government for appointment as botanist on the

Malaspina expedition The Malaspina Expedition (1789–1794) was a five-year maritime scientific exploration commanded by Alessandro Malaspina and José de Bustamante y Guerra. Although the expedition receives its name from Malaspina, he always insisted on giving Busta ...

. In 1790, he catalogued the mineral collection of

Éléonore de Raab Eleonore von Raab, also known as Éléonore de Raab, (17551811) was an Austrian collector of minerals, whose collection was catalogued by Ignaz von Born in 1790. Personal life Von Raab was the daughter of Franz Anton von Raab (although Wilson ' ...

, and this work formed the basis of William Babington's 1799 work ''A New System of Mineralogy, in the form of a Catalogue, after the manner of Baron Born’s Systematic Catalogue of the collection of fossils of Mlle Éléonore de Raab''. At the time of his death in 1791, he was writing ''Fasti Leopoldini'', probably relating to the prudent conduct of Leopold II, the successor of Joseph, towards the Hungarians. As an active

in the "Benevolence" lodge, he introduced and tutored

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

into the lodge. Born's essay ''Über die Mysterien der Ägypter '' (The Mysteries of the Egyptians), published in 1784 in the freemason periodical ''Journal für Freymaurer'', was one of the sources for the

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

for

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...

written for Mozart by

Emanuel Schikaneder Emanuel Schikaneder (born Johann Joseph Schickeneder; 1 September 1751 – 21 September 1812) was a German impresario, dramatist, actor, singer, and composer. He wrote the libretto of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera ''The Magic Flute'' and was t ...

. Born was also the regional head of the Viennese

Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...

lodge, and was a sympathiser with the

enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

ideas of

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (, ; 22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781) was a philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and a representative of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the developmen ...

. He published an anticlerical satire called ''Monachologien'' in 1783, in which he depicts monks as being of a distinct race that is a mixture between ape and man. The mineral

bornite Bornite, also known as peacock ore, is a sulfide mineral with chemical composition Cu5 Fe S4 that crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (pseudo-cubic). Appearance Bornite has a brown to copper-red color on fresh surfaces that tarnishes to v ...

(Cu₅FeS₄), a common copper ore mineral was named in his honour.

Selected publications

* Born, I. 1778
''Index rerum naturalium Musei Cæsarei Vindobonensis''
Pars I.ma. Testacea. Verzeichniß der natürlichen Seltenheiten des k. k. Naturalien Cabinets zu Wien. Erster Theil. Schalthiere. Vindobonæ: Kraus. –40+ 1–458 + –82 (in

and German language) *

Species described

Species described by Ignatius von Born include:Malacolog Version 4.1.1. A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
searching for Born
gastropods: * ''

Bullata bullata ''Bullata'' is a genus of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Marginellidae, the margin snails. Distribution This is a tropical western Atlantic genus. Habitat Representatives from this genus have been recorded a ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Voluta bullata'' Born, 1778; ''Marginella bullata'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Cerithium atratum ''Cerithium atratum'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family (biology), family Cerithiidae. Distribution The distribution of ''Cerithium atratum'' includes the Western Atlantic.

'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Murex atratus'' Born, 1778 * ''

Cerithium litteratum ''Cerithium litteratum'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae. Distribution ''Cerithium litteratum'' has been living in shallower waters and reefs of the Western Central Atlantic Ocean, from South Ca ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Murex litteratus'' Born, 1778 * '' Clathrodrillia gibbosa'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Crassispira gibbosa'' (Born, 1778); ''Drillia gibbosa'' (Born, 1778); ''Murex gibbosus'' Born, 1778 * '' Conus centurio'' Born, 1778 * ''

Conus ermineus ''Conus ermineus'', common name the turtle cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. Like all species within the genus ''Conus'', these snails are predatory and venom ...

'' Born, 1778 – synonym: ''Dendroconus ermineus'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Fissurella nodosa ''Fissurella nodosa'', commonly known as the knobbed keyhole limpet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets. Description The size of an adult shell varies between 20 mm and 4 ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Patella nodosa'' Born, 1778 * ''

Hastula cinerea ''Hastula cinerea'', the grey Atlantic auger, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Terebridae, the auger snails.MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Hastula cinerea (Born, 1778). Accessed through: World Registe ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Terebra cinerea'' (Born, 1778); ''Buccinum cinereum'' Born, 1778 * ''

Labyrinthus plicatus ''Labyrinthus plicatus'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial animal, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Labyrinthidae. Distribution This species occurs in: * VenezuelaAlan Solem, Solem A. (31 May) 1966'' ...

'' (Born, 1780) – synonym: ''Helix plicata'' Born, 1780 * ''

Osilinus turbinatus ''Phorcus turbinatus'', common name the turbinate monodont, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as moll ...

'' (Born, 1780) – synonym: ''Trochus turbinatus'' Born, 1780 * ''

Patella miniata ''Cymbula miniata'' is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Patellidae Patellidae is a taxonomic family of sea snails or true limpets, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Patellogastropoda. ( ...

'' Born, 1778 * ''

Patella oculus ''Cymbula oculus'' is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Patellidae, one of the families of true limpets. Description The shell is low, and a dull brown on the outside. It has about 10 major ribs. ...

'' Born, 1778 * '' Prunum marginatum'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Voluta marginata'' Born, 1778 * ''

Scutellastra cochlear ''Scutellastra cochlear'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Patellidae, one of the families of true limpets. It is commonly known as the snail patella, the pear limpet or the spoon limpet and is native to South ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Patella cochlear'' Born 1778 * ''

Semicassis granulata The Scotch bonnet (''Semicassis granulata'') is a medium-sized to large species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Cassinae, the helmet shells and bonnet shells. The common name "Scotch bonnet" alludes to the general ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Phalium granulata'' (Born, 1778); '' Phalium granulatum'' (Born, 1778); ''Buccinum granulatum'' Born, 1778 * '' Stigmaulax sulcatus'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Nerita sulcata'' Born, 1778 * ''

Tegula fasciata ''Agathistoma fasciatum'' (known commonly as the Smooth Atlantic Tegula) is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Tegulidae. Description ''A. fasciatum'' is slightly smaller than '' T. lividomaculata'', which is high, ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Trochus fasciatus'' Born, 1778; ''Chlorostoma fasciata'' (Born, 1778) * '' Thais lacera'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Thais lacerus'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Trochita trochiformis ''Trochita trochiformis'' is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Calyptraeidae The Calyptraeidae are a family of small to medium-sized marine prosobranch gastropods. MolluscaBase. Calyptraeidae Lamarck, 1809. Ac ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Turbo trochiformis'' Born, 1778; ''Patella trochiformis'' (Born, 1778) * '' Vasum muricatum'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Voluta muricata'' Born, 1778; ''Turbinella muricatum'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Xenophora conchyliophora ''Xenophora conchyliophora'' is a species of medium-sized to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Xenophoridae, the carrier shells. Distribution This is a Western Atlantic species. Description The maximum recorded shell ...

'' (Born, 1780) – synonyms: ''Astraea conchyliophora'' (Born, 1780); ''Trochus conchyliophorus'' Born, 1780 synonyms of gastropods: * ''Tritonium costatum'' (Born, 1778) and ''Triton costatum'' (Born, 1778) and ''Murex costatus'' Born, 1778 are synonyms for ''

Cymatium parthenopeum ''Monoplex parthenopeus'', common name the giant triton or giant hairy triton, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cymatiidae. It preys on other molluscs. Fossil records This species have been recorded as fossi ...

'' (von Salis, 1793) * ''Murex gigas'' Born, 1780 is a synonym for ''

Syrinx aruanus ''Syrinx aruanus'', common name the Australian trumpet or false trumpet, is a species of extremely large sea snail measuring up to 91 cm long and weighing up to 18 kg. It is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae, and ...

'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * ''Turbo torcularis'' Born, 1778 is a synonym for '' Torcula exoleta'' (Linnaeus, 1758) bivalves: * '' Argopecten nucleus'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Ostrea nucleus'' Born, 1778; ''Aequipecten nucleus'' (Born, 1778); ''Pecten nucleus'' (Born, 1778) * '' Ctenoides scabra'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Ostrea scabra'' Born, 1778; ''Lima scabra'' (Born, 1778) * '' Dosinia concentrica'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Venus concentrica'' Born, 1778; ''Cytherea concentrica'' (Born, 1778); ''Artemis concentrica'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Eurytellina punicea ''Eurytellina punicea'' is a species of bivalves belonging to the family Tellinidae The Tellinidae are a family of marine bivalve molluscs of the order Cardiida. Commonly known as tellins or tellens, they live fairly deep in soft sediments in ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Tellina punicea'' Born, 1778 * '' Gafrarium calipygum'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Mactra glauca ''Mactra glauca'' is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Mactridae, the trough shells. Appearance ''Mactra glauca'' has a broadly triangular, thin, glossy shell up to 115mm in length. The shell is creamy white wi ...

'' Born, 1778 * '' Ostrea cristata'' Born, 1778 * ''

Panopea glycimeris ''Panopea glycimeris'' is a species of large marine bivalve mollusc in the family Hiatellidae. The fossil record of this species dates back to the Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period ...

'' (Born, 1778) * ''

Papyridea lata ''Papyridea'' is a genus of molluscs in the family Cardiidae.Abbott, R.T. & Morris, P.A. ''A Field Guide to Shells: Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and the West Indies.'' New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. 59-60. Species * ''Papyridea aspersa'' (G. B. ...

'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Cardium latum'' Born, 1778 * '' Pitar circinatus'' (Born, 1778) – synonyms: ''Venus circinata'' Born, 1778; ''Cytherea circinatus'' (Born, 1778) * '' Tellina punicea'' (Born, 1778) * '' Tivela mactroides'' (Born, 1778) – synonym: ''Venus mactroides'' Born, 1778; ''Cytherea mactroides'' (Born, 1778)

Notes

References

* *Museum guide of

Mozarthaus Vienna The Mozarthaus Vienna was Mozart's residence from 1784 to 1787. This building in Vienna's Old Town, not far from St. Stephen's Cathedral, is his only surviving Viennese residence and is now a museum. History The house is located on Domgasse. It ...

(Prestel museum guide)

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20170925112650/http://ignatiusvonborn.ro/ * http://www.ilab.org/db/book1099_22049.html * http://tv.sms.cz/televise/CT2/20091002/1170029325_Dvaasedmdesat_jmen_ceske_historie_46_72
species described in ''Index rerum naturalium…''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Born, Ignaz von 1742 births 1791 deaths People from Cavnic 18th-century Austrian scientists Austrian mineralogists Austrian metallurgists Austrian malacologists Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Fellows of the Royal Society Edlers of Austria Hungarian nobility 18th-century Hungarian scientists Czech mineralogists Austrian Freemasons Members of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities