Nikolaus II, Fürst Esterházy de Galántha
Encyclopedia
Nikolaus II Esterházy was a wealthy 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
.
12 December 1765, the son of Prince Anton Esterházy
and his first wife, Maria Theresia, Countess Erdödy de Monyorokerek et Monoszlo (1745–1782). His father Anton was the son of Nikolaus I
, whom he succeeded as reigning prince on the latter's death in 1790. In 1783, the younger Nikolaus, aged 17, married the 15-year-old Maria Josepha, Princess von und zu Liechtenstein (1768–1845). According to Mraz (2009b), the marriage was not a happy one (see below, "debauchery"). It produced three children: Paul (1786–1866), who succeeded Nikolaus as prince, Leopoldine (1788–1846), and Nikolaus (1799–1844).
Nikolaus II became the reigning prince on the death of his father in 1794. Like many of the aristocrats of the Austrian Empire, he spent much of his time in Vienna, where his family had a palace
. He also spent some time, particularly in summer, in his palace
(the traditional family seat) in Eisenstadt
. Like his father Anton, Nikolaus had little interest during his reign in living in or visiting Esterháza, the famous palace that Nikolaus I had built in rural Hungary.
in 1803; in 1817, he was promoted to Feldzeugmeister. Like his father, he was also a Captain of the Hungarian Noble Life Guard, from December 1803 until his death in 1833.
In 1802, he was appointed Colonel and Proprietor (Inhaber)
of the 32nd Infantry Regiment, a position he held also until his death. He received the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Stephen
in 1797 and was initiated into the Order of the Golden Fleece
on 7 January 1808. He also served as an imperial and royal Chamberlain
and Privy councillor. In 1829, he received from the Grand Duchy of Baden
, the Order of Fidelity in 1829 and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Zähringer Lion
. The Kingdom of Bavaria awarded him the Military Order of St. Hubert and the House of Hannover awarded him the Grand Cross of the Guelphic Order in 1816.
A dramatic moment in Nikolaus's career occurred in 1809. Napoleon, having just defeated the Austrian armies
and occupied Vienna, sought to weaken the Habsburg monarchy by severing its Hungarian territories. Nikolaus was Napoleon's candidate to serve as King of an independent Hungary. Faithful to the Esterházy tradition of loyalty to their Emperor, Nikolaus refused the offer, and indeed he went further and raised a regiment of volunteers to help defend the Empire, an action he had previously taken in 1797. Hungary remained part of the Empire until the 20th century.
, Corregio
, Raphael
, and Claude Lorrain
. He employed a curator, Joseph Fischer, who was also a landscape painter and engraver. Nikolaus spent some years trying to find a home for his collection (and also protecting it during the Napoleonic invasions of 1805 and 1809; at one point in the latter year it was shipped down the Danube to Pest for safety). Eventually it was installed in the palace of Prince Kaunitz, which Nikolaus bought in 1814. The palace was converted to a gallery open to the public and was considered an important collection.
, converting it from Baroque to Classical style. He also caused the gardens to be laid out in contemporary (English) style (1797).
The redesigned gardens included extensive greenhouses, intended both to support landscaping and to house a large collection of plants, which by 1820 had grown to 60,000 varieties. The greenhouses were divided into rooms controlled for temperature and humidity. Starting in 1803, they were watered by a pump operated by a steam engine imported from England—the first steam engine in the Austrian Empire.
) and he spent some of his wealth as a patron of music.
, but had been severely cut back by his father Anton. Nikolaus persuaded Joseph Haydn
to return as active (though part-time) Kapellmeister
, and gradually built up the Chor musique, his group of instrumentalists and singers: 15 in 1796, 29 by 1802.
These musical forces, augmented by occasional extras, premiered several major works, notably the six masses composed by Haydn, some in celebration of the name day of Nikolaus's wife Maria Hermenegild. That Haydn's compositions for Nikolaus were primarily religious works (in contrast to the symphonies and operas Haydn had composed for Nikolaus's grandfather) reflects the Prince's own preference for religious music.
Nikolaus initially had a difficult relationship with Haydn. He treated the world-famous composer as a servant, addressing him with the low-status pronoun "Er" and calling him merely "Haydn" ("Herr Haydn" or indeed "Dr. Haydn" would have been more respectful, given that Haydn had received an honorary degree from Oxford University). Under the influence of his wife, Nikolaus gradually changed his attitude and eventually was more respectful to his Kapellmeister.
During Haydn's long period of infirmity (roughly 1803 to his death in 1809), the Prince was very supportive, increasing his pension to compensate for inflation (1806) and covering his medical expenses. He served Haydn posthumously in 1820 by his vigorous—though unsuccessful—efforts to recover the composer's stolen skull
.
, an organization of aristocrats that played an important role in organizing concerts, and also was one of the aristocratic subscribers to the first major published work of Ludwig van Beethoven
, his Opus 1 piano trios.
Following Haydn's retirement the musical establishment financed by Nikolaus continued under other leaders, including Johann Nepomuk Fuchs
and Johann Nepomuk Hummel
. Nikolaus commissioned the 1807 Mass in C
of Ludwig van Beethoven
, continuing the tradition of masses composed for the Princess's name day. The Prince did not like the work and the comment he made at the premiere led Beethoven to depart in a huff. Nikolaus later wrote to Countess Henriette Zielinska, "Beethoven's music is unbearably ridiculous and detestable; I am not convinced it can ever be performed properly. I am angry and ashamed."
in the Landstraße
". One commentator said that he had 200 mistresses and fathered 100 illegitimate children.
. He continued to spend freely both on art works and on his brothel, and ultimately the law intervened, subjecting him to a sequestration
order (1832). Mraz describes the end of his life as "ignominious". He died in 1833 in Como
, Italy.
describes Nikolaus II thus: "He was as complete an autocrat as his grandfather had been, but lacked the latter's charm, kindliness, and genuine understanding of music . . . contemporaries described the prince's nature as 'worthy of an Asiatic despot'".
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
.
Life
Nikolaus was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
12 December 1765, the son of Prince Anton Esterházy
Anton (Antal), Fürst Esterházy de Galántha
Anton , Prince Esterházy de Galántha was a prince of Hungary, a member of the wealthy Esterházy family.-Life:...
and his first wife, Maria Theresia, Countess Erdödy de Monyorokerek et Monoszlo (1745–1782). His father Anton was the son of Nikolaus I
Nikolaus Esterházy
Nikolaus Esterházy was a Hungarian prince, a member of the famous Esterházy family. His building of palaces, extravagant clothing, and taste for opera and other grand musical productions led to his being given the title "the Magnificent"...
, whom he succeeded as reigning prince on the latter's death in 1790. In 1783, the younger Nikolaus, aged 17, married the 15-year-old Maria Josepha, Princess von und zu Liechtenstein (1768–1845). According to Mraz (2009b), the marriage was not a happy one (see below, "debauchery"). It produced three children: Paul (1786–1866), who succeeded Nikolaus as prince, Leopoldine (1788–1846), and Nikolaus (1799–1844).
Nikolaus II became the reigning prince on the death of his father in 1794. Like many of the aristocrats of the Austrian Empire, he spent much of his time in Vienna, where his family had a palace
Palais Esterházy
----Palais Esterházy is a baroque palace in Vienna, Austria, owned by the noble Esterházy family. It houses a famous and popular restaurant in the former wine cellars, called Esterházykeller....
. He also spent some time, particularly in summer, in his palace
Schloss Esterházy
----The Schloss Esterházy is a palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, the capital of the Burgenland state. It was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622...
(the traditional family seat) in Eisenstadt
Eisenstadt
- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
. Like his father Anton, Nikolaus had little interest during his reign in living in or visiting Esterháza, the famous palace that Nikolaus I had built in rural Hungary.
Military career
Like most of the princes in his line, Nikolaus pursued a career as a military officer. He was promoted to major general on 13 May 1796, and to Lieutenant Field MarshalField Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
in 1803; in 1817, he was promoted to Feldzeugmeister. Like his father, he was also a Captain of the Hungarian Noble Life Guard, from December 1803 until his death in 1833.
In 1802, he was appointed Colonel and Proprietor (Inhaber)
Proprietor (Inhaber)
A Proprietor, or Inhaber, was a term used in the Habsburg military to denote special honors extended to a noble or aristocrat. The Habsburg army was organized on principles developed for the feudal armies in which regiments were raised by a wealthy noble, called the Inhaber who also acted as...
of the 32nd Infantry Regiment, a position he held also until his death. He received the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Stephen
Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
The Royal Hungarian Order of Saint StephenThe Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary, the royal Hungarian order, founded in 1764 by the empress Maria Theresa of Austria, consisted of the grand master , 20 knights grand cross, 30 knights commanders and 50 knights...
in 1797 and was initiated into the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
on 7 January 1808. He also served as an imperial and royal Chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
and Privy councillor. In 1829, he received from the Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
, the Order of Fidelity in 1829 and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Zähringer Lion
Order of the Zähringer Lion
The Order of the Zähringer Lion was instituted on 26 December 1812 by Karl, Grand Duke of Baden, in memory of the Dukes of Zähringen from whom he was descended.-Classes:It had five classes.*Grand Cross*Commander, 1st Class*Commander, 2nd Class...
. The Kingdom of Bavaria awarded him the Military Order of St. Hubert and the House of Hannover awarded him the Grand Cross of the Guelphic Order in 1816.
A dramatic moment in Nikolaus's career occurred in 1809. Napoleon, having just defeated the Austrian armies
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
and occupied Vienna, sought to weaken the Habsburg monarchy by severing its Hungarian territories. Nikolaus was Napoleon's candidate to serve as King of an independent Hungary. Faithful to the Esterházy tradition of loyalty to their Emperor, Nikolaus refused the offer, and indeed he went further and raised a regiment of volunteers to help defend the Empire, an action he had previously taken in 1797. Hungary remained part of the Empire until the 20th century.
As patron of art and architecture
Nikolaus amassed a large art collection, in part during an Italian tour in 1794-1795. Among the artists represented were Andrea del SartoAndrea del Sarto
Andrea del Sarto was an Italian painter from Florence, whose career flourished during the High Renaissance and early Mannerism. Though highly regarded during his lifetime as an artist senza errori , his renown was eclipsed after his death by that of his contemporaries, Leonardo da Vinci,...
, Corregio
Antonio da Correggio
Antonio Allegri da Correggio , usually known as Correggio, was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the Italian Renaissance, who was responsible for some of the most vigorous and sensuous works of the 16th century...
, Raphael
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino , better known simply as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form and ease of composition and for its visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur...
, and Claude Lorrain
Claude Lorrain
Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French Claude Gellée, , dit le Lorrain) Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French...
. He employed a curator, Joseph Fischer, who was also a landscape painter and engraver. Nikolaus spent some years trying to find a home for his collection (and also protecting it during the Napoleonic invasions of 1805 and 1809; at one point in the latter year it was shipped down the Danube to Pest for safety). Eventually it was installed in the palace of Prince Kaunitz, which Nikolaus bought in 1814. The palace was converted to a gallery open to the public and was considered an important collection.
Palace and gardens
Nikolaus remodeled the family palace at EisenstadtSchloss Esterházy
----The Schloss Esterházy is a palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, the capital of the Burgenland state. It was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622...
, converting it from Baroque to Classical style. He also caused the gardens to be laid out in contemporary (English) style (1797).
The redesigned gardens included extensive greenhouses, intended both to support landscaping and to house a large collection of plants, which by 1820 had grown to 60,000 varieties. The greenhouses were divided into rooms controlled for temperature and humidity. Starting in 1803, they were watered by a pump operated by a steam engine imported from England—the first steam engine in the Austrian Empire.
As patron of music
The prince was at least at some level a musician (a portrait of him by Fischer shows him playing the clarinetClarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
) and he spent some of his wealth as a patron of music.
Haydn
When Nikolaus succeeded his father as prince, he partially revived the Esterházy musical establishment, which had flourished (with a full orchestra and opera company) under his grandfather Nikolaus INikolaus Esterházy
Nikolaus Esterházy was a Hungarian prince, a member of the famous Esterházy family. His building of palaces, extravagant clothing, and taste for opera and other grand musical productions led to his being given the title "the Magnificent"...
, but had been severely cut back by his father Anton. Nikolaus persuaded Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
to return as active (though part-time) Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
, and gradually built up the Chor musique, his group of instrumentalists and singers: 15 in 1796, 29 by 1802.
These musical forces, augmented by occasional extras, premiered several major works, notably the six masses composed by Haydn, some in celebration of the name day of Nikolaus's wife Maria Hermenegild. That Haydn's compositions for Nikolaus were primarily religious works (in contrast to the symphonies and operas Haydn had composed for Nikolaus's grandfather) reflects the Prince's own preference for religious music.
Nikolaus initially had a difficult relationship with Haydn. He treated the world-famous composer as a servant, addressing him with the low-status pronoun "Er" and calling him merely "Haydn" ("Herr Haydn" or indeed "Dr. Haydn" would have been more respectful, given that Haydn had received an honorary degree from Oxford University). Under the influence of his wife, Nikolaus gradually changed his attitude and eventually was more respectful to his Kapellmeister.
During Haydn's long period of infirmity (roughly 1803 to his death in 1809), the Prince was very supportive, increasing his pension to compensate for inflation (1806) and covering his medical expenses. He served Haydn posthumously in 1820 by his vigorous—though unsuccessful—efforts to recover the composer's stolen skull
Haydn's head
The celebrated composer Joseph Haydn died, aged 77, on May 31, 1809. As Austria was at war and the Viennese capital occupied by Napoleon's troops, a rather simple funeral was held in Gumpendorf, the suburb of Vienna where Haydn had lived, followed by burial in the Hundsturm cemetery...
.
Other musical patronage
Nikolaus was also active in the musical life of Vienna. He was a member of the Gesellschaft der AssociiertenGesellschaft der Associierten
The Gesellschaft der Associierten was an association of music-loving noblemen centered in Vienna and founded by Baron Gottfried van Swieten in 1786...
, an organization of aristocrats that played an important role in organizing concerts, and also was one of the aristocratic subscribers to the first major published work of Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, his Opus 1 piano trios.
Following Haydn's retirement the musical establishment financed by Nikolaus continued under other leaders, including Johann Nepomuk Fuchs
Johann Nepomuk Fuchs
Johann Nepomuk Fuchs was an Austrian composer and conductor, and the brother of Robert Fuchs.Fuchs was born at Frauental, Styria. He worked as a conductor in Bratislava, Brno, Cologne, Hamburg, and Leipzig, before he became Kapellmeister of the Wiener Hofoper in 1880 and Vice Kapellmeister in 1894...
and Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
. Nikolaus commissioned the 1807 Mass in C
Mass in C major (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote his Mass in C major, Op. 86, to a commission from Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II in 1807. In fulfilling this commission, Beethoven was extending a tradition established by Joseph Haydn, who following his return from England in 1795 had composed one mass per year for the...
of Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, continuing the tradition of masses composed for the Princess's name day. The Prince did not like the work and the comment he made at the premiere led Beethoven to depart in a huff. Nikolaus later wrote to Countess Henriette Zielinska, "Beethoven's music is unbearably ridiculous and detestable; I am not convinced it can ever be performed properly. I am angry and ashamed."
His debauchery
According to Mraz (2009a), Nikolaus was known "for his debauched lifestyle, keeping what amounted to a private brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in the Landstraße
Landstraße
Landstraße is the 3rd municipal District of Vienna, Austria] . It is near the center of Vienna and was established in the 19th century. Landstraße is a heavily populated urban area with many workers and residential homes. It has inhabitants in an area of 7.42 km². It has existed since...
". One commentator said that he had 200 mistresses and fathered 100 illegitimate children.
Financial demise and death
According to Mraz, Nikolaus "coped poorly" with the very high inflation that arose in the Austrian Empire as the result of the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. He continued to spend freely both on art works and on his brothel, and ultimately the law intervened, subjecting him to a sequestration
Sequestration (law)
Sequestration is the act of removing, separating, or seizing anything from the possession of its owner under process of law for the benefit of creditors or the state.-Etymology:...
order (1832). Mraz describes the end of his life as "ignominious". He died in 1833 in Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, Italy.
Persona
Haydn biographer Karl GeiringerKarl Geiringer
Karl Geiringer was a musicologist, educator, and biographer of composers. He was educated in Vienna but at the beginning of the Nazi years he emigrated to England and ultimately the United States, where he had a lengthy and distinguished career at several universities. He was a noted authority...
describes Nikolaus II thus: "He was as complete an autocrat as his grandfather had been, but lacked the latter's charm, kindliness, and genuine understanding of music . . . contemporaries described the prince's nature as 'worthy of an Asiatic despot'".