Background
He was the first from his family who used the title of "Galántha" (galánthai) when he inherited the lordship of Galánta (today: Galanta, Slovakia) from his mother.
He was the first from his family who used the title of "Galántha" (galánthai) when he inherited the lordship of Galánta (today: Galanta, Slovakia) from his mother.
He was the ancestor of the wealthy and prestigious House of Esterházy. He built a Renaissance-style mansion in 1600. Ferenc participated in the 1596 campaign against the Ottoman Empire.
He served in the army under commander Count Miklós Pálffy.
Ferenc Esterházy married to Zsófia Illésházy de Illésháza (1547–1599), sister of Palatine István Illésházy, in 1566. They had several children:
Magdolna (26 January 1567 – 1 September 1616), married to László Kubinyi de Felsőkubin et Nagyolaszi (d 1598)
Ferenc I (b 18 July 1568), died young
Tamás (8 May 1570 – 1615 or 1616)
István (4 March 1572 – 26 October 1596), died in the Battle of Keresztes
János (b 1574), died young
Ferenc II (b 1576), died young
Farkas (1577 – 25 August 1643)
Zsófia (29 October 1578 – 7 May 1620), married to Márton Révay de Riva et Trebosztó (1565–1630), who served as Vice-ispán of Turóc County
Gábor (8 October 1580 – 28 December 1626), received the title of Baron in 1613
Anna (22 May 1590 – 1638), married Count János Kéry de Kiskér, who served as Vice-ispán of Zólyom County.