Background
He was the son of Francis Taaffe and his wife Anna Maria née Crean, and second cousin of the 5th Viscount Taaffe. He was born at Crean"s Castle in county Sligo and educated in Lorraine.
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Nicholas Taaffe
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Career
He became chancellor of duke Leopold of Lorraine, father of Emperor Francis I.
He entered the Habsburg Army, serving at Phillipsburg in Baden and in the campaign against France in 1734-1735, the Turkish War of 1736-1739, and was present in battle at Fort Saint Elizabeth, Pallesch, and the battle of Semlin. He succeeded to the peerage in 1738, and was promoted to Major-General (General Feldwachtmeister) in 1739. He also fought in the Silesian Wars against Prussia and distinguished himself, aged about 72, at Marshal Daun"s victory of Frederick the Great at Kolin in 1757.
He was Chamberlain to Emperor Charles VII and Empress Maria Theresa.
He is said to have introduced the growing of the potato to Silesia in 1763. After years, the case was ended by a compromise embodied in a private Acting of Parliament, by which the estates were sold and one-third of the value given to Nicholas Taaffe.
With the money he acquired the castle of Ellischau (Nalžovy) in Bohemia. He had also inherited other property in the Habsburg dominions.
Nicholas Taaffe had a distinguished career in the Habsburg Army.
He eventually rose to the rank of a Field Marshal, and was created Graf von Taaffe (Count of Taaffe) by Empress Maria Theresa.
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Born
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Died
December 30, 1769 (aged 84) -
Nationality
Irish -
Religion
Protestant