!!!Esterházy, Magnatenfamilie

Esterházy, Hungarian family of magnates, had settled on the 
island of Schuett by the 13th century. They acquired Galántha 
(Slovakia) in 1527 and had adopted the name for themselves at the 
beginning of the 15th century. The family split into several lines in 
1600; one of them settled with Count Nikolaus  Esterházy in 
West Hungary, acquired Lackenbach and adopted the name of 
Fraknó (Forchtenstein). Nikolaus and his successors supported 
the Habsburgs, were made hereditary counts of Forchtenstein in 1626. 
Paul I  Esterházy was given the title of imperial prince 
ad personam in 1687, the right to carry the title was extended in 1712 
to include the eldest son of the family, and, in 1782, to all of the 
family. The last prince, Paul V  Esterházy, died in 1989; 
the family still exists.

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The centre of the family´s power lay at Forchtenstein and 
Eisenstadt (Burgenland) as well as around the neighbouring town of 
Esterháza (Fertoed, Hungary). In Vienna, the E. owned the 
Majoratshaus in Wallnerstrasse and from 1814 a palace in the Viennese 
district of Mariahilf. Their Hungarian estates (128,000 hectares) fell 
under state control in 1946-1947. The remaining estates in Burgenland 
(50,000 hectares; the rest was sold to farmers) have been administered 
by three trusts since 1995/96: Forchtenstein, a charitable trust, and 
Eisenstadt and Lockenhaus, family trusts.

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Heads of the Esterházy family: Prince Paul I  
Esterházy (founder), Prince Michael Esterházy 
(1713-1721), Prince Joseph Esterházy (1721), Prince 
Paul II Anton  Esterházy (1721-1762), Prince 
Nikolaus I Joseph  Esterházy (1762-1790), Prince Anton 
Esterházy (1790-1794), Prince Nikolaus II  
Esterházy (1794-1833), Prince Paul III Anton 
Esterházy (1833-1866), Prince Nikolaus III 
Esterházy (1866-1894), Prince Paul IV Esterházy 
(1894-1898), Prince Nikolaus IV Esterházy (1898-1920), 
Prince Paul V  Esterházy (1920-1989).

!Literature
Die Fuersten Esterházy, exhibition catalogue, 
Eisenstadt 1995.


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