This MIKLOS [Nicholas] ESTERHAZY of Galantha (1582-1645) was born at Galantha on the 8th of April 1582. His parents were Protestants, and he himself, at first, followed the Protestant persuasion; but he subsequently went over to Catholicism and, along with Cardinal Pazmany, his most serious rival at court, became a pillar of Catholicism, both religiously and politically, and a worthy opponent of the two great Protestant champions of the period, Gabriel Bethlen and George I. Rakoczy. In 1611 he married Orsolya, the widow of the wealthy Ferencz Magocsy, thus coming into possession of her gigantic estates, and in 1622 he acquired Frakno. Matthias II. made him a baron (1613), count of Beregh (1617), and lord-lieutenant of the county of Zolyom and _magister curiae regiae_ (1618). At the coronation of Ferdinand II., when he officiated as grand-standard-bearer, he received the order of the Golden Fleece and fresh donations. At the diet of Sopron, 1625, he was elected palatine of Hungary. As a diplomatist he powerfully contributed to bring about the peace of Nikolsburg (1622) and the peace of Linz (1645) (see HUNGARY: _History_). His political ideal was the consolidation of the Habsburg dynasty as a means towards freeing Hungary from the Turkish yoke. He himself, on one occasion (1623), defeated the Turks on the banks of the Nyitra; but anything like sustained operations against them was then impossible. He was also one of the most eminent writers of his day. He died at Nagy-Heflan on the 11th of September 1645, leaving five sons. See _Works of Nicholas Esterhazy_, with a biography by Ferencz Toldi (Hung.) (Pest, 1852); _Nicholas Count Esterhazy, Palatine of Hungary_ (a biography, Hung.) (Pest, 1863-1870).