Ferenc Esterházy de Galántha

Franz Esterházy de Galántha in 1585

Ferenc Esterházy (* 1533, † 1604 in Galántha , Kingdom of Hungary ) belonged to the Hungarian nobility and was Vizegespan ( ung. Alispán, lat. Vicecomes the) county Pressburg .

Origin and life

Ferenc (Franz) Esterházy was the eldest son of Benedikt Eszterhas (* around 1508, † before August 25, 1533) and his wife Ilona Bessenyay de Galántha. Franz originally belonged to the "simple" Hungarian landed gentry, who usually owned no other goods apart from a piece of land. That changed with his marriage, however, as the bride brought a sizable dowry into the marriage. Esterházy was an avid supporter of the Reformation and Evangelical Lutheran faith.

The first written message about Franz Esterházy can be found in a document dated August 12, 1553. In this document, Franz and his four siblings complained to the Pressburg chapter against the sale of the property in Zerháza. Until 1571 he managed his own property. In the same year he entered the service of the Archbishop of Gran Antal Verancsics , he became a constant companion and follower of the Archbishop. For Verancsics, who himself was familiar with Lutheranism and knew Philipp Melanchthon personally, it did not seem to be an obstacle to employ the Lutheran-minded Esterházy, where he remained until the Archbishop's death in 1573.

Ferenc Esterházy married Zsófia Illéházy de Illésháza (* 1547, † 1599) in 1566 , the sister of the palatine István (Stephan) Illésházy (* 1541, † 1609). Family ties gave him significant influence in the Kingdom of Hungary. Presumably through the protection of his father-in-law Tamás (Thomas) Illesházy (who had previously been vice-team of the Pressburg county himself) he was elected vice-chairman by the nobility of the Pressburg county ( universitas nobilium ) in September 1579 . He held this office for twenty-one years.

Esterházy not only earned lasting merits as a vice spanman, but also worked militarily in the service of the king. So he took an active part in the Turkish wars . For this reason he was on 25 September 1572 by Emperor Rudolf II. The occasion of his coronation as Apostolic King of Hungary traditionally in the Franciscan church to Bratislava for Knight of the Golden Spur ( eques auratus beaten). In October 1596 he took part in the battle of Mezőkeresztes against the Turks.

Esterházy not only remained true to the Lutheran faith throughout his life, but also actively supported persecuted Lutherans and Protestants during that time - it was the time of the Counter Reformation . Together with other Protestant aristocrats of Hungary, he granted the prominent Lutheran preacher Péter Bornemisza (* 1535, † 1584; called Abstemius ), who was persecuted and exiled in Vienna . He took his faith very seriously; so he sent his son Thomas to study theology at the University of Wittenberg .

In 1601 several descendants of the Esterházys turned away from Protestantism and converted to Catholicism . Only the sons Thomas and Wolfgang and two daughters Magdalena and Sophie remained true to their father's faith until the end of their lives.

The exact date of death of Ferenc Esterházy is not known, the last mention about him is found in a letter from the palatine István Illesházy of February 2, 1604 to his wife.

Ferenc Esterházy was buried in the Esterházy family's hereditary burial in the (then still) Protestant church "am Pfarrhügel" (ung. A paphegyi dombon) of Galántha, where his wife and other members of the Esterházy family were also buried.

Descendants

The following children emerged from the marriage with Zsófia Illésházy de Illésháza:

Magdolna / Magdalena (born January 26, 1567, † September 1, 1616) ⚭ László Kubinyi de Felsőkubín et Nagyolaszi († 1598)
Ferenc / Franz (born July 18, 1568), died unmarried at a young age
Tamás / Thomas (* May 8, 1570, † 1615 or 1616), unmarried
István / Stephan (born March 4, 1572, † October 26, 1596), unmarried, fell in the battle of Mezőkeresztes
János / Johann (* 1574), died at a young age
Ferenc II. / Franz II. (* 1576), died at a young age
Farkas / Wolfgang (* 1577, † August 25, 1643), no descendants
Zsófia / Sophie (* October 29, 1578, † May 7, 1620) ⚭ Márton Révay de Riva et Trebosztó (* 1565, † 1630), Vice-Spaniard of Turz County
Gábor / Gabriel (* October 8, 1580, † December 28, 1626), received the title of baron in 1613 ; no descendants
Miklós / Nikolaus (* April 8, 1583, † September 11, 1645), received the title of baron in 1613, the title of count in 1626 , founder of the " Fraknó line"
Dániel / Daniel (* July 26, 1585, † June 14, 1654), received the title of baron and founder of the " Csesznek line" in 1613 ⚭ Judit Rumy (* 1606, † 1663)
Pál / Paul (born February 1, 1587, † January 17, 1645), received the title of baron and founder of the " Zólyom line" in 1613
Anna (* May 22, 1590, † 1638) ⚭ Count János Kéry de Kiskér, Vice-Spaniard of Sohl County

literature

László Berényi: Esterházyak - egy ezeréves család történetei , 2 vols., AduPrint, Eszterháza Kulturális, Kutató- és Fesztiválközponz 2014, ISBN 978-963-88405-4-7 .

Web links

The origin of the Esterházy family (de.esterhazy.net)

Individual evidence

↑ Other siblings were: István (* around 1535, † around 1573), Anna (* around 1534, † after 1560), Magdolna and Margot.
↑ Benedikt Eszterhas was still named Benedikt Zerhaz de Zerkasház when he was born and was the first to take on the name Esterházy . By marrying Ilona Bessenyay de Galánta (around 1550), he moved to his wife's estate in Galántha , which she brought into the marriage as a dowry.
↑ ^a ^b Berényi: p. 249f (see literature)
↑ For Zerháza developed Esterháza . A village a few kilometers from Lake Neusiedl . In 1950, Esterhaza (German: Esterhaus ) was merged with the town of Süttör (German: Schüttern ) and the town of Fertöd was created .
↑ ^a ^b ^c Berényi: p. 254ff
↑ At that time the coronations took place in St. Martin's Cathedral in Preßburg, the then capital of the Kingdom of Hungary.
↑ It should be noted that this award was a great honor at that time, as every king in Hungary only had the opportunity to present such awards once in his life - on the occasion of his own coronation. See also the article Knight of the Golden Spur .
↑ Berényi: p. 263
↑ Nikolaus was the founder of the West Hungarian line of the Esterházy, which developed into one of the most important aristocratic families in the entire Kingdom of Hungary. In his first marriage (⚭ November 22, 1612) he was married to Orsolya Dersffy (* ~ 1583, † March 15, 1619), his second marriage (⚭ July 21, 1624) was with Krisztina Nyáry (* ~ 1604, † 17 February 1641)
↑ In his first marriage he married Zsuzsanna Károly de Nagykároly (* 1590, † 1621). In his second marriage he was married to Éva Viczay de Loós et Hedervár (* 1602, † 1651);

personal data
SURNAME	Esterházy de Galántha, Ferenc
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Esterházy, Ferenc
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Hungarian nobleman and vice-chaplain of the Bratislava county
DATE OF BIRTH	1533
DATE OF DEATH	1604
Place of death	Galántha , Kingdom of Hungary

[1] Other siblings were: István (* around 1535, † around 1573), Anna (* around 1534, † after 1560), Magdolna and Margot.

[2] Benedikt Eszterhas was still named Benedikt Zerhaz de Zerkasház when he was born and was the first to take on the name Esterházy . By marrying Ilona Bessenyay de Galánta (around 1550), he moved to his wife's estate in Galántha , which she brought into the marriage as a dowry.

[:0-3] Berényi: p. 249f (see literature)

[4] For Zerháza developed Esterháza . A village a few kilometers from Lake Neusiedl . In 1950, Esterhaza (German: Esterhaus ) was merged with the town of Süttör (German: Schüttern ) and the town of Fertöd was created .

[:1-5] Berényi: p. 254ff

[6] At that time the coronations took place in St. Martin's Cathedral in Preßburg, the then capital of the Kingdom of Hungary.

[7] It should be noted that this award was a great honor at that time, as every king in Hungary only had the opportunity to present such awards once in his life - on the occasion of his own coronation. See also the article Knight of the Golden Spur .

[8] Berényi: p. 263

[9] Nikolaus was the founder of the West Hungarian line of the Esterházy, which developed into one of the most important aristocratic families in the entire Kingdom of Hungary. In his first marriage (⚭ November 22, 1612) he was married to Orsolya Dersffy (* ~ 1583, † March 15, 1619), his second marriage (⚭ July 21, 1624) was with Krisztina Nyáry (* ~ 1604, † 17 February 1641)

[10] In his first marriage he married Zsuzsanna Károly de Nagykároly (* 1590, † 1621). In his second marriage he was married to Éva Viczay de Loós et Hedervár (* 1602, † 1651);