Mayer Amschel Rothschild (23 February 1744 – 19 September 1812) was a German Jewish banker who established the Rothschild family international banking dynasty. His business acumen made his family one of the most successful in history. He was raised in the slums of Frankfurt and had to overcome adversity as a youngster, striving for a better life.
1770, Mayer Amschel Rothschild married Guttle Schnapper. They had ten children together.
Mayer Amschel Rothschild’s most outstanding achievement was his creation of a financial dynasty that lasted for over 200 years and allegedly provided capital to finance the American Revolution, followed by the French Revolution.
Each of his sons was given a portion of the business and was directed to establish banks in different countries, which helped spread the Rothschild family’s wealth and influence across Europe and beyond.
For example, Nathan Mayer Rothschild became a prominent figure in British society and politics. His wealth enabled him to purchase a controlling interest in the Bank of England, which he used to further his business empire. Queen Victoria made him a Lord and he played an essential role in funding the British government during the Napoleonic Wars.
The bragging Nathan Mayer Rothschild once said, “I care not what puppet is placed upon the throne of England to rule the Empire on which the sun never sets. The man who controls Britain’s money supply controls the British Empire, and I control the British money supply.”
The Labour Party rightly nationalised the Bank of England in 1946 after the Second World War under Prime Minister Clement Attlee.
The Rothschild dynasty’s success in business and finance earned them a fortune that made them one of the wealthiest families in the world.
Financing war efforts was highly profitable for the Rothschilds, and they continued to do so throughout the 19th century and into the 20th century.
Mayer Amschel Rothschild’s legacy continues today, with his descendants still playing a significant role in finance.
In 2005, he was ranked seventh on the Forbes magazine list of “The Twenty Most Influential Businessmen of all Time“.
The magazine referred to him as a “founding father of international finance”.