Nikolaus II. Fürst Eszterházy von Galántha (1765-1833) - Stich von Vincenz Georg Kininger nach einem Gemälde von Jean-Baptiste Isabey, wohl aus der Zeit um 1810, Fotografie, Wien, um 1910?

Prince Nikolaus Esterházy came from a widespread Hungarian nobel family. He was the nephew of Joseph Haydn's patron, also named Esterházy, who died in 1790. As an art and music lover the Prince also supported Haydn and temporarily Beethoven.

In 1795 he was one of the subscribers to Beethoven's piano trios op. 1 later published by the Artaria & Co. publishing house. Later the Prince ordered the Mass in C major op. 86 from Beethoven which was intended for the celebration of his wife Maria Josepha's saint's day. The piece was performed in Beethoven's presence on September 13th, 1807 in Eisenstadt. The audience, however, disliked it which caused the insulted composer to depart on the same day. Since then the relationship between both men cooled down significantly. Therefore, Beethoven did not dedicate his mass to Prince Esterházy when it was published but instead to Prince Kinsky.(S.B.)