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Carl RothschildFourth son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, head of the Neapolitan bank
Date of Birth: 24.04.1788
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Karl Rothschild
Karl Mayer Rothschild, the fourth son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, was born on April 24, 1788. Despite being born into a wealthy and influential family, Karl proved to be the least successful and capable financier among his five brothers. He was a rigid and orthodox Jew who struggled to adapt quickly to new environments. Karl was constantly under the watchful eye and care of his brothers Solomon and James, who were interested in financial operations in Italy.
Establishing a Banking Dynasty in Naples
However, the conditions that Karl encountered in Naples were favorable for the financial growth of the Rothschild clan. He arrived in Italy after the Austrians occupied the Kingdom of Naples in 1821. Karl became the secret commercial advisor to Prussia, the secret financial advisor to the elector and grand duke of Hesse, the consul general of the Kingdom of Sicily and the Duchy of Parma. With the support of James in Paris and Solomon in Vienna, he became the banker of popes, the Kingdom of Sicily, Italian princes, and the prime minister of Sardinia, Cavour. Karl, with the assistance of his family, provided loans to the Neapolitan "liberation army" in their fight against British conquest. In a very short time, the Kingdom of Naples became financially dependent on the Rothschilds. Being a Jewish financier, Karl even established connections with the Vatican and was repeatedly honored with the highest orders of the papacy for his loans. Not only his brothers, but also his charming and witty wife, Adelheid (formerly Adelheid Herz), came to his aid in all high-level meetings and receptions. They got married on September 16, 1818.
Loss of Interest and Legacy
Unfortunately, Karl Mayer Rothschild did not share the same interest in commercial activities as other members of the family. Later on, he completely lost interest in the local opportunities for developing a powerful family business, ceased his activities, and remained in the memory of Neapolitans as a "eccentric, devout Jew strictly adhering to the traditions of the Frankfurt ghetto."
Karl Mayer Rothschild had four children: a daughter named Charlotte, who married her close relative Lionel de Rothschild, and three sons named Mayer Karl, Adolph Carl, and Wilhelm Carl. They would have been five, but Anselm Alexander Carl died in 1854. Karl Mayer Rothschild himself passed away on March 10, 1855.
Regardless of his shortcomings, Karl fulfilled his obligation to his family by establishing the family business in Italy and ensuring its inheritance for future generations.
