Benedek Eszterhas (born as ''Benedek Zerhas de Zerhashaz''; 1508 – before 25 August 1553) was a Hungarian noble from the kindred of Salamon, son of Márton Zerhas de Zerhashaz and his second wife Erzsébet Wad de Felszász. He had five siblings. Benedek was the first who used the "Eszterhas" (later

Esterházy The House of Esterházy, also spelled Eszterházy (), is a Hungarian noble family with origins in the Middle Ages. From the 17th century, the Esterházys were the greatest landowner magnates of the Kingdom of Hungary, during the time that it ...

) surname. He married Ilona Bessenyei de Galántha. They had five children, including

Ferenc Ferenc () is a given name of Hungarian origin. It is a cognate of Francis, Francisco, Francesco, François, Frank and Franz. People with the name include: * Ferenc Batthyány, Hungarian magnate and general * Ferenc Berényi, Hungarian artist * F ...

, the ancestor and founder of the

House of Esterházy A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

. Later, Ferenc inherited the lordship of Galánta (today: ''Galanta, Slovakia'') from his mother.

Children

(1533–1604), married Zsófia Illésházy de Illésháza in 1566 * István (c. 1535 – c. 1573) * Anna (c. 1534 – after 1560), married three times: ** Ferenc Dely de Thoma, killed in the

Siege of Temesvár (1552) The siege of Temesvár was a military conflict between the Habsburg monarchy and the Ottoman Empire in 1552. The siege resulted with a decisive Ottoman victory and Temesvár came under Ottoman control for 164 years. Background After the Battl ...

** Balázs Hegyi de Kosuth ** Balázs Thewrek de Garamszentbenedek (marriage around 1557) * Magdolna, married twice: ** Ambrus Hegyi de Kosuth (died 1553) ** Ferenc More de Balázs-Ethe * Margit, married Gábor Polyák de Apcz et Regy

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eszterhas, Benedek 1508 births 1553 deaths Benedek Hungarian nobility