Rothschild family, the most famous of all European banking dynasties, which for some 200 years exerted great influence on the economic and, indirectly, the political history of Europe. The house was founded by Mayer Amschel Rothschild (b. February 23, 1744, Frankfurt am Main d. September 19, 1812, Frankfurt) and his five sons, Amschel Mayer (b. June 12, 1773, Frankfurt d. December 6, 1855, Frankfurt), Salomon Mayer (b. September 9, 1774 d. July 27, 1855, Vienna), Nathan Mayer (b. September 16, 1777 d. July 28, 1836, Frankfurt), Karl Mayer (b. April 24, 1788 d. March 10, 1855, Naples), and Jakob, or James, Mayer (b. May 15,