James Mayer de Rothschild
| James Mayer de Rothschild | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Jakob Mayer Rothschild May 15, 1792 Frankfurt, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | November 15, 1868 (aged 76) Paris, France |
| Known for |
Rothschild banking family of France Château Lafite Rothschild |
| Spouse(s) | Betty Salomon von Rothschild (m. 1824) |
| Children |
Charlotte de Rothschild Alphonse James de Rothschild Gustave Samuel de Rothschild Salomon James de Rothschild Edmond James de Rothschild |
| Parent(s) | Mayer Amschel Rothschild, Guttle Schnapper (1753–1849) |
| Awards |
 Légion d'honneurBaron of the Holy Roman Empire |
James Mayer de Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild (May 15, 1792 – November 15, 1868), born Jakob Mayer Rothschild, was a German-French banker and the founder of the French branch of the Rothschild family.
James de Rothschild was born in Frankfurt-am-Main, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was the fifth son and youngest child of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812) and Guttle Schnapper (1753–1849). Mayer sent each of his five sons to a prominent European commercial centre in order to found branches of the family banking empire; de Rothschild therefore moved to Paris in 1811 and in 1817 expanded the family banking empire to the city, opening De Rothschild Frères.
An advisor to two kings of France, he became the most powerful banker in the country and following the Napoleonic Wars, played a major role in financing the construction of railroads and the mining business that helped make France an industrial power. Along the way, he added to his fortune with investments in such things as the importation of tea and the wine industry. A strong-willed and shrewd businessman, de Rothschild amassed a fortune that made him one of the richest men in the world. Although his papers have never been disclosed, evidence suggests that in today's money, de Rothschild's personal fortune (not including the wealth of his other family members) must have been at least five times the fortune accumulated by Bill Gates.
In 1822 de Rothschild, along with his four brothers, was bestowed the hereditary title of "Freiherr" (Baron) by Emperor Francis I of Austria. That same year he was appointed consul-general of the Austrian Empire and in 1823 was awarded the French Legion of Honour.
On 11 July 1824, in Frankfurt, Germany, de Rothschild married his niece Betty Salomon von Rothschild (1805–1886), the daughter of his brother, Salomon Mayer von Rothschild (1774–1855). They had the following children:
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