Amschel Mayer Rothschild

Who was Amschel Mayer Rothschild?

Amschel Mayer Rothschild was a German Jewish banker of the Rothschild family financial dynasty.

He was the second child and eldest son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the founder of the dynasty, and Gutlé Rothschild née Schnapper.

On the death of Mayer Amschel in 1812, Amschel Mayer succeeded as head of the bank at Frankfurt am Main, his brothers having been dispatched to set up banking houses in Paris, London, Naples, and Vienna.

As Amschel Mayer died childless, the sons of his brothers assumed responsibility for the business from 1855.

He was ennobled as Amschel Mayer von Rothschild in 1817 and became a baron in 1822.

Amschel Mayer Rothschild was close to Orthodox Jewish circles, and was referred to by Eastern European Jews as "the pious Rothschild".