The Rothschilds have always fascinated with the uniqueness of their success story. An excellent business acumen, their commitment to the Jewish community, the promotion of the arts, and not least their luxurious lifestyle shape the image of this dynasty. Frederic Morton has revised his successful biography, first published in 1962. For 200 years, the Rothschilds have been among the richest and most respected families in the world. Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1812), the founder of the Rothschild dynasty, worked as a small textile trader and money changer in Frankfurt until he gained the trust of one of the wealthiest princes through skillful coin transactions and was appointed as his heir. The foundation was laid, and the turmoil of the Napoleonic era contributed to the rise from money changer to bank owner. His sons went abroad and established banks in London.