Károly József Batthyány was born in 1697, the son of Hungarian count Adam II.

He served in the Austrian army under Prince Eugene of Savoy in the war against the Turks, and participated in the battles in Peterwardein, Temeswar and Belgrade.

From 1739 to 1740, he was the envoy at the Berlin Court, but returned, however, after the outbreak of the First Silesian War with Prussia.

In 1746, he served under the command of Charles of Lorraine in Belgium and took part in the Battle of Rocoux, in 1747.

Serving under the command of the Duke of Cumberland, he executed an exemplary withdrawal in Lauffeldt.