Predecessor Szaniszlo Thurzo Successor Janos Draskovich | Noble family House of Esterhazy Name Nikolaus, Esterhazy | |
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Reign 25 October 1625 – 11 September 1645 Spouse(s) Baroness Orsolya Dersffy de Szerdahely (1612–1619)
Baroness Krisztina Nyary de Bedegh (1624–1641) Father Ferenc Esterhazy de Galantha | ||
Baron, later Count Nikolaus Esterházy de Galántha (English: Nicholas Esterházy of Galántha) (Galanta, April 8, 1583 – Großhöflein, September 11, 1645) was the founder of the West-Hungarian noble House of Esterházy which became one of the grandest and most influential aristocratic families of the Kingdom of Hungary.
The Habsburg noted Baron Nikolaus because he was one of the few members of the Hungarian nobility to convert to Catholicism, and also because of his zeal in fighting the Turks.
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 Gabriel Bethlen 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).
The Emperor made him in 1625 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 on 10 August 1626.
Marriage and children
He married in 1612 with Baroness Orsolya Dersffy de Szerdahely (1583–1619) and had
After his first wife's death, he remarried in 1624 with Baroness Krisztina Nyáry de Bedegh (1604-1641) and had :