Rothschild banking family of France

Through their collaborative efforts, the Rothschilds rose to prominence in a variety of banking endeavors including loans, government bonds and trading in bullion.

In 1806, Napoleon I ordered the convening of a "Grand Sanhedrin" in Paris and in 1808 he organized the "Consistoire central des Israélites de France", the administrative agency for all French Jews.

In 1817, he formally created the bank, de Rothschild Frères whose partners were brothers Amschel of Germany, James of France, Carl of Naples, Nathan of England and Salomon of Austria.

In 1822 the influential James and his four brothers were awarded the hereditary title of "Baron" by Emperor Francis I of Austria.

In recognition of his services to the nation, King Louis-Philippe elevated James to a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor.

The French Rothschild family's business suffered a near death blow in 1981 when the Socialist government of François Mitterrand nationalized and renamed it Compagnie Européenne de Banque.

[1] Capitalized at only $1 million and starting with just three employees, they soon built their tiny investment bank into a major competitor in France and continental Europe.

Sir Louis Ralph Helguera von Rothschild-Haverkate[10] was a Swiss-French national of the French Rothschild family who immigrated to Uruguay in the mid 1960's.

Born in London, he was the fourth child of the founder of the British branch of the family, Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777–1836).

In 1868, Nathaniel's uncle/father-in-law, James Mayer de Rothschild, acquired the prestigious neighboring vineyard, Château Lafite.

At present, a research project is underway by The Rothschild Archive[11] in London to document the family's philanthropic involvements.