Aristocratic Magyar family, dating from at least the 15th century, that produced numerous Hungarian diplomats, army officers, and patrons of the arts.
By the 18th century the Esterházys were the largest landowners in Hungary and possessed a private fortune even larger than that of the Habsburg emperors, whom they supported. The great Esterházy palace was built at Eisenstadt, on Neusiedler Lake . F.J. Haydn spent most of his career as music director at the palace. The family's various members held important governmental, ecclesiastical, diplomatic, and military posts in Hungary well into the 20th century.