Franz Anton Felix (von) Zeiller (1751–1828)

This article presents the life, career and works of Franz von Zeiller, who is considered one of the most influential Austrian lawyers. The authors attempt to present his activities in various fields: as an academic teacher, an author of scientific projects, a science promoter, a legal practitioner and, above all, as a legislator. After Martini’s death, Franz von Zeiller took over his work and completed the legal codification for the entire Austrian Empire, which at that time had been produced for quite a long time. To his credit, Franz Zeiller pushed through the universal character of the Austrian codification as a basic set of the civil law rules in the German-speaking countries of the Habsburg monarchy. The authors of this article present the scientific profile of Franz Zeiller primarily in the field of private law, without omitting his activities in the area of criminal law.