Nikolaus, Count Esterházy

Nikolaus Esterházy
Count of Galántha
Palatine of Hungary
Reign	25 October 1625 – 11 September 1645
Predecessor	Szaniszló Thurzó
Successor	János Draskovich
Full name	Count Miklós Esterházy de Galántha
Born	(1583-04-08)April 8, 1583 Galántha, Kingdom of Hungary (today: Galanta, Slovakia)
Died	September 11, 1645(1645-09-11) (aged 62) Nagyhöflány, Kingdom of Hungary (today: Großhöflein, Austria)
Noble family	House of Esterházy
Spouse(s)	Baroness Orsolya Dersffy de Szerdahely (1612–1619) Baroness Krisztina Nyáry de Bedegh (1624–1641)
Issue	eleven children, including: Stephen Ladislaus Paul Anna Julia
Father	Ferenc Esterházy de Galántha
Mother	Zsófia Illésházy de Illésháza

The native form of this personal name is galánthai gróf Esterházy Miklós. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

This jeweled wedding collar (incomplete) was reputedly worn by Miklós Esterházy (aka. Nikolaus Esterházy), at his wedding in 1611. The Walters Art Museum.

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

• István (1616–1641), died predeceasing his father. Had one daughter.
• Krisztina (1617-1617).

After his first wife's death, he remarried in 1624 with Baroness Krisztina Nyáry de Bedegh (1604-1641) and had :

• Magdolna (1625-1627)
• László (1626-1652), killed in the Battle of Vezekény
• Katalin, (1628-1630)
• Anna Júlia (1630-1669), married Ferenc Nadasdy de Nádasd et Fogarasföld
• 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.