Mayer Amschel Rothschild

Mayer Amschel Rothschild
Mayer Amschel Rothschild
Born	1744; Frankfurt, Holy Roman Empire
Died	1812-09-19; Frankfurt am Main
Occupation(s)	Financier, banker
Known for	Founder of the Rothschild banking empire

Mayer Amschel Rothschild (born 23 February 1743 or 1744 – died 19 September 1812; sometimes spelled Anschel) was a German-Jewish financier and the originator of the Rothschild banking empire. Often hailed as a pioneer of global finance, he was ranked seventh on the Forbes list titled "The Twenty Most Influential Businessmen of All Time" in 2005.

Early life

Born in 1744 into an Ashkenazi Jewish lineage, Mayer Amschel Rothschild grew up in Frankfurt's Judengasse, the Jewish quarter within the Holy Roman Empire. He was among eight siblings born to Amschel Moses Rothschild (who passed away in 1755) and Schönche Rothschild (née Lechnich; deceased 1756).

The Rothschild surname traces back to Izaak Elchanan Rothschild (Isaac Elchanan Bacharach) from 1569. The name is derived from the German phrase zum rothen Schild ("at the red shield"), referring to the family's ancestral residence marked by a red shield emblem. When relocating in 1664 to another Judengasse residence called Hinterpfann ("[house at] the back of the saucepan"), this symbol remained associated with their business operations well into the early 1800s.

Mayer’s father managed a trade and currency exchange enterprise, acting as coin supplier to the Prince of Hesse. Their home, situated above the shop with an 11-foot-wide facade, accommodated over thirty residents during that period.

Business career

Supported by his family, Rothschild began an apprenticeship in 1757 under Jacob Wolf Oppenheimer at the banking firm of Simon Wolf Oppenheimer located in Hanover. Oppenheimer, grandson of Samuel Oppenheimer, instructed him in international commerce and currency trading before Mayer returned to join his brothers’ firm in Frankfurt in 1763.

He specialized as a rare coin merchant and secured patronage from Crown Prince Wilhelm of Hesse, gaining the designation of "Court Factor" in 1769. His numismatic business grew to serve multiple princely clients and gradually transitioned into providing banking services for Wilhelm, who ascended as Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in 1785. Following the French Revolution, his operations expanded significantly as he handled British payments for Hessian mercenaries.

By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Rothschild had become the primary international financier for Wilhelm IX and initiated international lending, sourcing capital through loans from the Landgrave.

In 1806, after Napoleon invaded Hesse due to Wilhelm’s alliance with Prussia, the Landgrave fled into exile. Despite this, Rothschild remained his financial agent, channeling investments into London. He also benefited from importing goods despite Napoleon’s continental blockade.

Rothschild dynasty

In 1798, Mayer’s third son, Nathan Mayer Rothschild, was dispatched to England with £20,000 (roughly equivalent to £1 million today) to broaden family ventures into textile imports—establishing their initial foreign branch. Nathan gained British citizenship in 1804 and founded a bank within the City of London. By 1810, Mayer formalized a partnership with his three eldest sons through the creation of M. A. Rothschild & Söhne.

In 1811, the Grand Duke of Frankfurt granted civil rights and privileges to Jews following a payment of 440,000 florins arranged by Mayer Amschel Rothschild at a profit. That same year, his youngest son Jacob was sent to Paris to extend the family's European network and facilitate financing for Wellington’s campaigns during the Peninsular War by procuring substantial gold supplies for Britain.

Rothschild passed away on 19 September 1812 in Frankfurt am Main and was interred at its old Jewish cemetery. In 1817, Emperor Francis I of Austria posthumously ennobled him. Today, both a park and street in Frankfurt commemorate his name.

His heirs grew the family wealth across Europe—the "five arrows" representing their banking branches. The eldest son Amschel Mayer managed Frankfurt; Salomon established operations in Vienna; Nathan expanded London's branch (N. M. Rothschild & Sons) into a premier European financial institution; Calmann ("Carl") founded a Naples branch; and Jacob ("James") launched de Rothschild Frères in Paris, becoming a dominant force in finance.

Family

Mayer Amschel Rothschild united in marriage with Guttle Schnapper (1753–1849), the daughter of Wolf Salomon Schnapper, on August 29, 1770. Their offspring included:

Schönche Jeannette Rothschild (1771–1859), who wed Benedikt Moses Worms (1772–1824)
Amschel "Anselm" Mayer Rothschild (1773–1855)
Salomon Mayer Rothschild (1774–1855), spouse of Caroline Stern
- For details, refer to the Rothschild banking family of Austria
Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777–1836), married Hannah Barent Cohen (1783–1850), daughter of Levi Barent Cohen
- See also Rothschild banking family of England
Isabella Rothschild (1781–1861), married Bernhard Juda Sichel (1780–1862)
Babette Rothschild (1784–1869), who became the wife of Siegmund Leopold Beyfus (1786–1845)
Kalman "Carl" Mayer Rothschild (1788–1855), married Adelheid Herz (1800–1853)
- Consult Rothschild banking family of Naples for further information
Julie Rothschild (1790–1815), married Mayer Levin Beyfus (1790–1860)
Henriette "Jette" Rothschild (1791–1866), spouse of Abraham Montefiore (1788–1824) and mother to Charlotte Montefiore (1818–1854)
Jakob "James" Mayer Rothschild (1792–1868), wedded Betty von Rothschild (1805–1886), daughter of Salomon Mayer Rothschild
- Further insights are available under Rothschild banking family of France

Sources

External links

Rothschild Archive