Nikolaus II, Prince Esterházy
Nicholas II, Prince Esterházy was a Hungarian prince. He served the Austrian Empire and was a member of the famous Esterházy family. He is especially remembered for his art collection and for his role as the last patron of Joseph Haydn.
Nikolaus II as portrayed by Martin Knoller in 1793. Oil on canvas. Esterházy Privatstiftung, Burgenland.
His wife, Maria Josepha Hermengilde of Liechtenstein
A rendering by Albert Christoph Dies of the newly redesigned gardens at the family palace in Eisenstadt. The view is similar today though more wooded.
The House of Esterházy, also spelled Eszterházy, is a Hungarian noble family with origins in the Middle Ages. From the 17th century, the Esterházys were the greatest landowner magnates of the Kingdom of Hungary, during the time that it was part of the Habsburg monarchy and later Austria-Hungary. During the history of the Habsburg Empire, the Esterházy family was consistently loyal to the Habsburg rulers. The Esterházys received the title of Graf (Count) in 1626, and the Forchtenstein line received the title of Fürst (Prince) from the Holy Roman Emperor in 1712.
The princely Eszterházy arms
The arms of Paul I, Prince Esterházy (1635–1713)
Forchtenstein Castle in Forchtenstein, Austria
Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt, Austria