Franz Moritz was born at St Petersburg on the 216t of October 1725.
His father, Peter, Count Lacy, was a distinguished Russian soldier, who belonged to an Irish family, and had followed the fortunes of the exiled James II.
Franz Moritz was educated in Germany for a military career, and entered the Austrian service.
Franz Moritz 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 lieut. -colonel.
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 Loudon, made head against Frederick the Great for the remainder of the war.
That their cautiousness often degenerated into timidity may be admitted-Leuthen and many other bitter d'efeats had taught the Austrians to respect their great opponent-but they showed at any rate that, having resolved to wear out the enemy by Fabian methods, they were strong enough to persist in their resolve to the end.
Thus for some years the life of Lacy, as of Daun and Loudon, is the story of the war against Prussia (see Seven Years' War).
After Hochkirch (October 15, 1758) Lacy received the grand cross of the Maria Theresa order.
In 1759 both Daun and Lacy fell into disfavour for failing to win victories, and Lacy owed his promotion to Feldzeugmeister only to the fact that Loudon had just received this rank for the brilliant conduct of his detachment at Kunersdorf.
As the result of his work the Austrian army was more numerous, far better equipped, and cheaper than it had ever been before.
His activities were not confined to the army.
He was in sympathy with Joseph's innovations, and was regarded by Maria Theresa as a prime mover in the scheme for the partition of Poland.
More serious than the War of the Bavarian Succession was the Turkish war which presently broke out.
Lacy was now old and worn out, and his tenure of command therein was not marked by any greater measure of success than in the case of the other Austrian generals.
His active career was at an end, although he continued his effective interest in the affairs of the state and the army throughout the reign of Joseph's successor, Leopold I. His last years were spent in retirement at his castle of Neuwaldegg near Vienna.
