“When Nathan Mayer died in 1812, his oldest son Amschel took over the Frankfort firm. Although Amschel was not the head of the family, he was its spokesman to the aristocracy. He was the one who would apply for the honors and titles for his brothers. He has been described as a crotchety worrier who clung to the past. He was socially odd, yet held great dinners that were the talk of the elite. Religion was a big part of his life, to the point of being called ‘monkish’.
Even though he lived on a grand scale, Amschel had no joy. Much of this distress came from the fact that he had failed to have any children. After Napoleon exited Germany, a German Confederation was set up, of which Amschel became the treasurer. In a sense this made him the first finance minister of the Prussian Empire which was created by the Confederation. Amschel’s sorrow over his lack of children led him to pick prominent young men to treat as his sons. One such man was Otto von Bismark, who would later become the Iron Chancellor of Germany.
Amschel was the protector of his mother Gutle, who was the Matriarch of the family. No one would receive full admission into the House of Rothschild by marriage unless she approved. Gutle smiled little and had a harsh tongue. One legend has it that a neighbor asked her whether there was to be peace or war. ‘War?’ Gutle replied. ‘Nonsense. My boys won’t let them.'”
The Rothschild – Amschel Mayer Rothschild
“When Nathan Mayer died in 1812, his oldest son Amschel took over the Frankfort firm. Although Amschel was not the head of the family, he was its spokesman to the aristocracy. He was the one who would apply for the honors and titles for his brothers. He has been described as a crotchety worrier who clung to the past. He was socially odd, yet held great dinners that were the talk of the elite. Religion was a big part of his life, to the point of being called ‘monkish’.
Even though he lived on a grand scale, Amschel had no joy. Much of this distress came from the fact that he had failed to have any children. After Napoleon exited Germany, a German Confederation was set up, of which Amschel became the treasurer. In a sense this made him the first finance minister of the Prussian Empire which was created by the Confederation. Amschel’s sorrow over his lack of children led him to pick prominent young men to treat as his sons. One such man was Otto von Bismark, who would later become the Iron Chancellor of Germany.
Amschel was the protector of his mother Gutle, who was the Matriarch of the family. No one would receive full admission into the House of Rothschild by marriage unless she approved. Gutle smiled little and had a harsh tongue. One legend has it that a neighbor asked her whether there was to be peace or war. ‘War?’ Gutle replied. ‘Nonsense. My boys won’t let them.'”