Moritz Reichsgraf von Fries

• Name — Moritz Christian Johann Reichsgraf von Fries • Born — 6 May 1777 • Birthplace — Vienna, Holy Roman Empire • Died — 26 December 1826 • Place of death — Paris, Kingdom of France • Spouse — Princess Maria Theresa zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst • Father — Count Johann Josef von Fries

He was born in Vienna as the youngest son of Count Johann von Fries (1719–1785), one of the richest men in the Holy Roman Empire through a series of successful financial and industrial ventures, and his wife, Anna d’Escherny (1737–1807). The family lived at the Palais Fries, now Palais Pallavicini, in Vienna. He had three surviving siblings: Count Joseph Johann von Fries (1755–1788), Countess Ursula Viktoria von Schönfeld (1767–1805), and Countess Anna Philippina von Haugwitz (1769–1842).

In 1800, Moritz von Fries married Princess Maria Theresia zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1779–1819), the daughter of Prince Charles Albert I von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1719-1793) by his second wife, Baroness Judith Anna Franziska Reviczky von Revisnye (1753-1836). At the time of his marriage, he owned 80% of the family bank, which was itself worth 2.5 million guilders. However, this was the height of von Fries' social and financial success, as the inflation and other economic troubles of the Napoleonic Wars coupled with the vast expenses of his standard of living progressively eroded his fortune. By 1826 von Fries was bankrupt, and moved to Paris with his second wife Fanny Münzenberg (1795–1869), dying shortly thereafter. His children were left penniless. An admirer of music, Von Fries was also a collector of books and art. His art collection (which he inherited from his brother Johann and then substantially expanded) included over 300 works, including those by Raphael, van Dyck and Rembrandt, and his library extended to over 2,000 books. However, this extensive collection was all sold for the benefit of his creditors after his bankruptcy.