Carl Mayer von Rothschild

Carl Mayer Freiherr von Rothschild
Born	1788-04-24 Frankfurt am Main, Holy Roman Empire
Died	1855-03-10 Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Occupation	Banker
Years active	Early 19th century – 1855
Known for	Founder of the Neapolitan branch of the Rothschild banking family

Carl Mayer Freiherr von Rothschild (24 April 1788 – 10 March 1855) was a banker originating from Frankfurt who established the Neapolitan branch of the influential Rothschild family within the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Life and career

Originally named Kalman Mayer Rothschild at birth in Frankfurt am Main, he was the fourth son among five of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1743–1812) and Gutlé Schnapper (1753–1849). Within his family circle, he was commonly called "Carl," while English relatives referred to him as "Charles." He received his training in his father’s banking enterprise.

At twenty-nine years old, Carl secured a home in Frankfurt and married Adelheid Herz in 1818. The couple had five children: Charlotte (who wed Lionel de Rothschild), Mayer Carl, Adolph Carl, Wilhelm Carl, and Anselm Alexander Carl.

To broaden the family's financial operations across Europe, Carl was dispatched to Naples after the Austrian forces occupied the region in 1821. There, he founded C M de Rothschild & Figli as an extension of the Rothschild central bank based in Frankfurt. Although sometimes considered the least naturally talented among his brothers, Carl demonstrated considerable skill in financial management and building connections. He forged significant alliances, particularly with Luigi de' Medici, the Finance Minister of Naples, which positioned his bank as the leading financial institution within the Kingdom.

The Naples branch managed accounts for prominent clients such as the Vatican and the dukedoms of Parma and Tuscany. Carl’s influence reached the Bourbon monarch of Naples, thereby strengthening the Rothschild family's presence across Europe alongside their establishments in England and other major cities.

In 1822, Emperor Francis I of Austria bestowed upon Carl and his brothers the noble title of baron (Freiherr). A notable event occurred in 1826 when Leopold I of Belgium visited Carl’s villa in Naples.

In 1829, Carl was appointed consul-general of Sicily based in Frankfurt. He received papal honors from Pope Gregory XVI in 1832; however, this recognition stirred some controversy due to the distinctive manner in which it was conferred.

Carl maintained residences both in Frankfurt and Naples. He constructed Villa Günthersburg near Frankfurt in 1837 and acquired Villa Pignatelli overlooking Mount Vesuvius and the sea in 1841, where his family resided until 1860.

Following Adelheid’s passing in 1853 and that of their son Anselm in 1854, Carl died in Naples in 1855. His assets were distributed among his children; Adolph Carl took over leadership of the Naples bank, while Mayer Carl and Wilhelm Carl managed operations from Frankfurt. Although Carl intended for Mayer Carl to succeed him in Naples, that branch ceased operations by 1861 with its holdings transferred to Frankfurt.

In popular culture

In the 1934 motion picture The House of Rothschild, actor Noel Madison portrays Carl Mayer von Rothschild.

Bibliography

• The Rothschilds; a Family Portrait by Frederic Morton. Atheneum Publishers (1962) (1998 reprint)
• The Rothschilds, a Family of Fortune by Virginia Cowles. Alfred A. Knopf (1973)
• Rothschild: The Wealth and Power of a Dynasty by Derek Wilson. Scribner, London (1988)
• House of Rothschild: Money's Prophets: 1798–1848 by Niall Ferguson. Viking Press (1998)
• The House of Rothschild (vol. 2): The World's Banker: 1849–1999 by Niall Ferguson. Diane Publishing Co. (1999)