Ferenc Esterházy (1533–1604) Explained

Ferenc Esterházy
Lord of Galántha
Full Name:Ferenc Esterházy de Galántha
Noble Family:House of Esterházy
Father:Benedek Zerhas de Zerhashaz
Mother:Ilona Bessenyei de Galántha
Spouse:Zsófia Illésházy de Illésháza (1566–1599)
Birth Date:1533[1]
Death Date:1604 (aged 70–71)
Death Place:Galántha, Kingdom of Hungary
(today: Galanta, Slovakia)
Issue:thirteen, including:
Gábor
Miklós
Dániel
Pál

Ferenc Esterházy de Galántha (English: Francis Esterházy of Galántha; 1533–1604) was a Hungarian noble, who served as Vice-ispán (Viscount; vicecomes) of Pozsony County since 1579.[2] He was the ancestor of the wealthy and prestigious House of Esterházy.

His parents were Benedek Zerhas de Zerhashaz (or Eszterhas), from the kindred of Salamon, and Ilona Bessenyei de Galántha. He was the first from his family who used the title of "Galántha" (galánthai) when he inherited the lordship of Galánta (today: Galanta, Slovakia) from his mother. Following his father's death in 1553, he built a Renaissance-style mansion in 1600. Another, Neo-Gothic castle situated in the town built by two of his sons, Dániel and Pál in 1633.

Ferenc participated in the 1596 campaign against the Ottoman Empire. He served in the army under commander Count Miklós Pálffy. His son, István was killed in the Battle of Keresztes on 26 October 1596.[3]

Family

Ferenc Esterházy married to Zsófia Illésházy de Illésháza (1547–1599), sister of Palatine István Illésházy, in 1566. They had several children:

Sources

Notes and References

  1. According to the Esterhazy Wiki the birth date is 1532.
  2. http://www.sulinet.hu/oroksegtar/data/telepulesek_ertekei/100_falu/Csakvar/pages/014_istenert.htm Istenért, oltárért és hazáért!
  3. Web site: Merényi . Lajos . Herczeg Esterházy Pál nádor . Franklin Társulat, 1895.
  4. Web site: Marek . Miroslav . Esterházy family tree . Genealogy.EU.