(1729 - 85), mercenary, military historian; b. in Wales; capt. in Young Pretender's service 1745; in French, Austrian and Prussian service 1747 - 72; maj.-gen. in Russian service 1772 - 4; wrote History of the Late War in Germany [1766] and Political and Military Rhapsody [1795].
c.1740? - Venice, Rome, Venice
1768 - 70 Milan (Jan. - Feb. 1768), Genoa (Feb. - Mar.), Milan (Apr. - May), Vaprio d'Adda (Jun.) [Corsica] Leghorn (Aug.) [Corsica] Milan (Dec. 1768), Parma (Jan. 1769), Rome (Jan.), Milan (Feb.) [England] Milan (Sep. 1769 - Feb. 1770)
In the course of his remarkable life, Lloyd appears to have visited Italy twice. On his first visit (possibly c.1740) he stayed in Venice before studying at the English College in Rome. He did not take orders but returned to Venice and became secretary to the Spanish ambassador.1 After extensive service as an army officer in England, Germany and France, he returned to Italy in January 1768 as a General in the Prussian army. His movements are described in the letters of the Verri brothers, Pietro and Alessandro, who admired his energy and the breadth of his interests (which extended from the Jesuit order to the science of war). Lloyd was fighting with General Paoli in Corsica in 1768. Pietro Verri became exhausted by him: 'Quest'uomo mi mette in inquietudine', he wrote in September 1769; 'La sua vita e' un romanzo', but their relationship improved. Lloyd left Italy in February 1770 to return to London.
1. See Verri, Cart., 1:48 - 63, 142 - 8, 158 - 9, 181, 294, 335; 2:9, 23, 36 - 9, 59, 98, 126, 148, 171, 178, 195; 3: 54 - 5, 73, 135, 181.