Francis Taaffe, 3rd Earl of Carlingford

Francis Taaffe, 3rd Earl of Carlingford (* 1639 in Ballymote, County Sligo, Ireland; † August 1704 in Nancy, Lorraine) was a native of Ireland, military commander and politician. He served in the army of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (which had its seat in Vienna ) and at the court of the Duke of Lorraine ( Nancy ).

Life

Francis Taaffe was the second son of Theobald Taaffe, 1st Earl of Carlingford, and Mary White. After his older brother's death, he inherited the title of Earl of Carlingford and Viscount Taaffe, both of which belonged to the Peerage of Ireland.

Taaffe studied at the University in Olomouc and served at the court of Emperor Ferdinand III. and at the court of Duke Charles IV of Lorraine.

In recognition for his military merits, inter alia, in the Battle of Vienna in 1683 against the Turks in 1694, he was appointed field marshal in the Imperial Army and inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Last Taaffe was chancellor of Duke Leopold of Lorraine. In 1676 he married Helena Maximiliana of maid Disch. He died without surviving descendants in August 1704 in Nancy, where he was buried in the cathedral.