Editing Julius von Payer (section)

==Polar expedition==
[[File:Julius Payer.jpg|thumb|Payer in snow suit]]
In 1868 he was invited by the German geographer [[August Petermann]] to participate in the 2nd [[German North Polar Expedition]] as a [[Topography|topographer]]. Travelling to the coast of [[Tunu|East Greenland]] on the ''[[Germania (ship, 1869)|Germania]]'' under Captain [[Carl Koldewey]] in 1869–1870, they reached as far north as [[Shannon Island]]. In 1871 he participated in the preliminary [[Austro-Hungarian Empire|Austro-Hungarian]] expedition to [[Novaya Zemlya]], with [[Karl Weyprecht]].

From 1872 to 1874, Payer led the [[Austro-Hungarian North Pole expedition]] with [[Karl Weyprecht]], who was Commander at sea, while Payer was Commander on shore. During this voyage they made the discovery of Franz Joseph Land, however upon their return to Vienna many critics voiced doubts about its existence and about the experiences of other participants in the expedition.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} Payer could have proven his statements using testimonies, diaries and sketches, however his efforts were thwarted, including his promotion to captain. In 1874 he resigned from the army because of political maneuvers against him and his brother officers' doubts about his discovery and his sledge journeys. He was awarded 44 [[Austro-Hungarian florin|florins]] on 1 October 1874 for the discovery of Franz Joseph Land (about equal to the monthly salary of a Sub-lieutenant at the time).
He was also awarded the 1975 [[Royal Geographical Society]]s [[Patron's Medal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/C5962519-882A-4C67-803D-0037308C756D/0/GoldMedallists18322011.pdf|title=List of Past Gold Medal Winners|publisher=Royal Geographical Society|access-date=24 August 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927221002/http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/C5962519-882A-4C67-803D-0037308C756D/0/GoldMedallists18322011.pdf|archive-date=27 September 2011}}</ref>

However, on 24 October 1876 he was elevated to the [[Austrian nobility]] which entitled him and his descendants to the style of ''Ritter von'' in the case of male and ''von'' in the case of female offspring.