Baron, later Count Nikolaus Esterházy de Galántha () ( Galanta, 8 April 1583 Großhöflein, 11 September 1645) was the founder of the West-Hungarian noble

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 c ...

which became one of the grandest and most influential aristocratic families of the

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

Life

Nikolaus's parents were

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

, and he himself followed them at first, but he subsequently became a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

and, along with Cardinal Pázmány, his most serious rival at court, became a pillar of Catholicism, both religiously and politically. At court, he opposed the two great Protestant champions of the period,

Gabriel Bethlen Gabriel Bethlen (; 1580 – 15 November 1629) was Prince of Transylvania from 1613 to 1629 and Duke of Opole from 1622 to 1625. He was also King-elect of Hungary from 1620 to 1621, but he never took control of the whole kingdom. Bethlen, sup ...

and George I Rákóczi. Matthias II made him a baron (1613),

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

of Bereg (1617), and lord-lieutenant () of the county of Zólyom and (1618). His political ideal was the consolidation of the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

as a means towards freeing Hungary from domination by the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

, and the Habsburg noted him because of his zeal to that end. He himself, on one occasion (1623), defeated the Turks on the banks of the Nyitra. His first marriage with Orsolya Dersffy made him immensely rich and brought him also the lordships of Munkács (today: ''Mukachevo, Ukraine'') and Lánzsér- Lakompak (today: ''Landsee'' and ''Lackenbach'' in Austria). When he had to hand over Munkács in 1622 to

because of the Peace of Nikolsburg, he was compensated by the Emperor with 2 new lordships, namely Fraknó (today: ''Forchtenstein, Austria'') and Kismarton (today: ''Eisenstadt, Austria''). In 1625 he officiated in the coronation of the

Emperor Ferdinand II Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, Hungary, and List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II, Archduke of Austr ...

, who made him Palatine of Hungary, the highest political function in the country. He also became Count of Fraknó and Knight in the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...

on 10 August 1626. Nikolaus was also an accomplished writer.

Marriage and children

He married in 1612 Baroness Orsolya Dersffy de Szerdahely (1583–1619) and they had: * István (1616–1641), died before his father. Had one daughter. *Krisztina (1617–1617). After his first wife's death, he married in 1624 Baroness Krisztina Nyáry de Bedegh (1604–1641) and had: * Magdolna (1625–1627) *

László László () is a Hungarian male given name and surname after the King-Knight Saint Ladislaus I of Hungary (1077–1095). It derives from Ladislav, a variant of Vladislav Vladislav ( (', '); , ; Russian language, Russian, Ukrainian language, ...

(1626–1652), killed in at the Battle of Vezekény * Katalin, (1628–1630) * Anna Júlia (1630–1669), married Franz III. NádasdyChronik Neufeld III, Neufeld an der Leitha 2007, S. 13. * Michael (1632–1633) * Mária Krisztina (1634–1634) * Paul I Esterházy of Galántha (1635–1713), his successor * Mária (1638–1684), married Count György Drugeth de Homonna * Ferenc (1641–1683), had issue. Ancestor of Móric Esterházy,

Márton Esterházy Márton Esterházy (born 9 April 1956 in Budapest) is a Hungarian retired professional Association football, footballer. He is a descendant of the House of Esterházy, Esterházy aristocratic family. After retiring, like his famous writer brothe ...

, and Péter Esterházy.

Gallery

File:Palatine Miklos Esterhazy - Esterhazy Marriage Collar - Walters 44586.jpg, The jewelled wedding collar reputedly worn by Esterházy at his wedding in 1611.

Notes

References

* * Galántai gróf Eszterházy Miklós Magyarország nádora alatine of Hungary582-1626. Editor: László Szala

. Press of Lauffer és Stolp, Pest, 1863-1870 I-III Volum

*Péter Katalin: Esterházy Miklós. Magyar História - Életrajzok. Gondolat kiadó, Budapest, 1985 , - ! colspan="3" style="background: #ACE777; color: #000000" , Nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian nobility {{DEFAULTSORT:Esterhazy, Nikolaus Count 1583 births 1645 deaths Nikolaus Counts of Hungary Knights of the Golden Fleece Nikolaus Palatines of Hungary Judges royal People from Galanta Converts to Roman Catholicism 17th-century philanthropists