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Salomon Mayer von Rothschild

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Birth Date:
09.09.1774
Death date:
28.07.1855
Extra names:
Solomons, Zālamans, Maiers, Rotšīlds, Rotšilds
Categories:
Banker, Baron
Nationality:
 jew
Cemetery:
Set cemetery

Salomon Mayer von Rothschild  was a German-born banker in the Austrian Empire and the founder of the Austrian branch of the prominent Mayer Amschel Rothschild family. He was born at Frankfurt-am-Main the third child and second son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812) and Gutlé Schnapper (1753–1849).

In 1800, he married Caroline Stern (1782–1854).

They had the following children:

  • Anselm Salomon (1803–1874)
  • Betty Salomon (1805–1886) - married her uncle James Mayer de Rothschild in 1824.

His father had built a hugely prosperous banking business in Germany. Wanting to expand the family business across Europe, the eldest Rothschild son remained in Frankfurt, while each of the other four sons were sent to different European cities to establish a banking branch.

Salomon von Rothschild was made a shareholder of the de Rothschild Frères bank when it was opened in Paris in 1817 by brother James Mayer de Rothschild. Trained in finance and with years of experience, in 1820 Salomon Rothschild was sent to Austria to formalize the family's existing involvements in financing Austrian government projects.

In Vienna, Salomon von Rothschild established S M von Rothschild. The business financed the Nordbahn rail transport network, Austria's first steam railway, plus funding various government undertakings where large amounts of capital had to be raised. He made connections amongst the country's aristocracy and its political elite through Prince Klemens Metternich and Friedrich von Gentz. Under the direction of Salomon von Rothschild, the Viennese bank was highly successful, playing an integral role in the development of the Austrian economy. In recognition of his services, in 1822 Salomon Mayer Rothschild was made part of the Austrian nobility when Emperor Francis I awarded him the hereditary title "Freiherr" (Baron). In 1843, he became the first Jew to ever be given honorary Austrian citizenship[citation needed].

Endogamy was an essential part of the Rothschild family's strategy for future success in order to ensure that control of their businesses remained in family hands. Therefore, in 1824 Salomon Mayer Rothschild's daughter Betty married her uncle James Mayer de Rothschild, head of the Paris bank.

Salomon von Rothschild's personal wealth was enormous and he acquired extensive properties and made investments in art and antiquities.

Despite the fact that he made substantial contributions to philanthropic causes, the concentration of vast wealth by the few members of the Austrian elite resulted in a growing civil unrest in the country.

By the time of the revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas, anti-Rothschild sentiments were frequently being voiced and written about in broadsheets such as Ein offener Brief an Rothschild. With the fall of Metternich, Salomon von Rothschild lost some of his political clout and his bank a considerable amount of money. Under pressure, the 74-year-old handed over the reins of the bank to his son Anselm but it was not without rancor. He left Vienna and retired in Paris where he died in 1855. From his collection some of the objets d'art from the Italian and French Renaissance together with 18th-century works were donated to the Louvre including two paintings by Carlo Dolci.

Source: wikipedia.org

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        Relation nameRelation typeBirth DateDeath dateDescription
        1Amschel RothschildAmschel RothschildFather23.02.174419.09.1812
        2
        Gertrude SchnapperMother00.00.175300.00.1849
        3Betty Salomon von RothschildBetty Salomon von RothschildDaughter00.00.180500.00.1886
        4Carl Mayer von RothschildCarl Mayer von RothschildBrother24.04.178810.03.1855
        5James Mayer de RothschildJames Mayer de RothschildBrother15.05.179215.11.1868
        6Amschel Mayer RothschildAmschel Mayer RothschildBrother12.06.177306.12.1855
        7Nathan Mayer von RothschildNathan Mayer von RothschildBrother16.09.177728.07.1836
        8
        Schönche Jeannette RothschildSister00.00.177100.00.1859
        9Lionel de RothschildLionel de RothschildNephew22.11.180803.06.1879
        10
        Edmond de RothschildNephew00.00.184500.00.1934
        11Alphonse de RothschildAlphonse de RothschildNephew01.02.182726.05.1905
        12Amschel Moses RothschildAmschel Moses RothschildGrandfather00.00.171006.10.1755
        13
        Moses Kalman RothschildGreat grandfather19.10.1735
        14Béatrice de RothschildBéatrice de RothschildGreat granddaughter14.09.186407.04.1934

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