Valentin Esterházy

Valentin-Ladislas, Comte d'Esterházy (October 22, 1740July 23, 1805) was a French soldier and aristocrat of Hungarian extraction. A career soldier, he became a close friend of the French queen Marie Antoinette, who showered him with favors at court. During the French Revolution, he followed Louis XVI's younger brothers, the Comte d'Artois and the Comte de Provence, into exile. In 1791, he was sent as the princes' ambassador to the court of Catherine the Great of Russia. Early life & family Valentin-Ladislas, Count Esterházy of Galantha and of Grodeck, was born in the commune of Le Vigan, Gard on 22 October 1740. He was the son of Valentin-Joseph Esterházy, a member of the illustrious Hungarian noble house Esterházy, and Philippine de Nougarède de la Garde. His grandfather, Comte Antoine Esterházy, had been one of the principal lieutenants of Francis II Rákóczi, a Hungarian prince who led a war of independence against the Habsburg Empire. Antoine Esterházy followed Rákóczi into exile on the Black Sea, where he died. His son Valentin-Joseph, however, moved to France to take command of a company in a regiment of fellow Hungarian exiles formed by the son of another of Rákóczi's lieutenants, the Comte de Bercheny. In 1735, Valentin-Joseph in turn formed his own regiment of hussards known as the régiment Hussards-Esterhazy. He married Philippine de Nougarède, who came from an old military family in Vigan, and whom he met during a stay there while travelling to Beaucaire. Valentin-Joseph died in 1743 in Alsace, after being wounded in the Battle of Dettingen. His family was left in poverty. His widow went to Versailles to seek aid, but was only able to reclaim half of her husbands' 3,000 franc pension. In 1749, she moved the family to Paris, hoping to find support from her husband's old friends and allies. The Comte de Bercheny agreed to adopt Valentin, provide for his education, and give him a place in his regiment. Marriage & children In 1784, Esterházy married Marie-Françoise-Ursule de Hallweil, the daughter of a count and Lieutenant-General of the Armies of the King. The couple had four children: Gaspard-Philippe-Valentin d'Esterházy de Galantha et de Grodeck (1786-1838) Ladislas-Henri-Valentin d'Esterházy de Galantha (b. 1797) Marie-Françoise-Léonide d'Esterházy de Galantha (b. 1787) Marie-Anne-Everilde-Ursule d'Esterházy de Galantha (b. 10 February 1791)