Franz von Mercy

Franz von Mercy (c. 1597–1645), born at Longwy in Lorraine, became a field marshal and commander-in-chief of the Bavarian army in 1643. Wounded at Breitenfeld in 1631, he was captured and exchanged in 1634, and defended Rheinfelden against a Swedish siege until its food ran out.

In 1641 he protected the Imperial Diet at Regensburg from Banér's Swedes. He destroyed a French army at Tuttlingen in 1643, held Freiburg in 1644, and routed Turenne at Herbsthausen in 1645. He was killed by a musket shot at Nördlingen on 3 August 1645.