Photo: Southworth & Hawes / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
James Mayer de Rothschild is one of those names that shaped 19th-century Europe more than most kings did. Founding the French branch of the Rothschild dynasty, he turned the family's banking network into a force that financed railways and governments, and got himself elevated to Barony in 1822. What fascinates me is how he balanced cold financial power with a genuine eye for art, becoming a serious collector. The Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour wasn't ceremonial fluff; it reflected real influence. He died in 1868, but the institutions he built outlived him by more than a century, which says everything about his foresight.
Overview
James Mayer de Rothschild (born Jakob Mayer Rothschild; 15 May 1792 – 15 November 1868) was a French banker and the founder of the French branch of the prominent Rothschild family. He was born in the Free City of Frankfurt in the Holy Roman Empire, and elevated to Barony in 1822.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- James Mayer de Rothschild
- Name (Japanese)
- ジャコブ・マイエール・ド・ロチルド
- Reading
- じゃこぶ・まいえーる・ど・ろちるど
- Born
- May 15, 1792 – November 15, 1868
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Rat
- Origin
- Frankfurt, Darmstadt Government Region, Germany
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- banker / art collector / businessperson
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Banker — see all → · Art collector — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.