Franz Moritz von Lacy

Franz Moritz Graf von Lacy (; ; , tr. ; 21 October 1725 – 24 November 1801) was a Baltic German-born Austrian military leader, he was the son of Count Peter von Lacy and was a famous Austrian field marshal. He served during the reign of Maria Theresa and was a close friend to Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, becoming one of the latter's advisers. Lacy was made a count of the Holy Roman Empire. Early life He was born as the son of Count Peter von Lacy and his second wife, Margareta Filippina von Funcken-Lösern (1685–1759), widowed Countess Frölich. His father was a Russian Field Marshal who belonged to the Irish branch of the de Lacy family and had followed James II into exile. Franz Moritz was born in St Petersburg, and was educated in Germany for a military career, and entered the Austrian service. He served in Italy, Bohemia, Silesia and the Netherlands during the War of the Austrian Succession, was twice wounded, and by the end of the war was a lieutenant-colonel. At the age of twenty-five he became full colonel and chief of an infantry regiment. Seven Years' War In 1756 with the opening of the Seven Years' War he was again on active service, and in the first battle (Lobositz) he distinguished himself so much that he was at once promoted major-general. He received his third wound on this occasion and his fourth at the battle of Prague in 1757. Later in 1757 Lacy bore a conspicuous part in the great victory of Breslau, and at Leuthen, where he received his fifth wound, he covered the retreat of the defeated army. Soon after this began his association with Field-Marshal Daun, the new generalissimo of the empress's forces, and these two commanders, powerfully assisted later by the genius of Laudon, made headway against Frederick the Great for the remainder of the war.