Nathan Mayer Rothschild and the Creation of a Dynasty

“Any history of the Rothschild family must venture into the perilous territory of myth… Wary of such errors and myths, Kaplan has set out to present a new version of the story that conforms to the actual evidence. By focusing his study narrowly and conducting diligent research, Kaplan succeeds in correcting some of the most glaring errors of his predecessors, producing a convincing answer to this fascinating problem. Kaplan’s version of the story of Nathan Rothschild’s rise is argued with clarity and concision.” - Journal of Modern History “The volume will be valuable not only for [Kaplan’s] fellow Rothschild scholars but for anyone with an interest in the financial history of the Napoleonic period of in the development of nineteenth-century financial institutions.” - The Journal of Economic History “[This book] is worthwhile reading for those interested not just in the Rothschild dynasty but more generally in the operations of financial capitalism early in the nineteenth century. It presents an interesting portrait of the dynamics of entrepreneurship in the early nineteenth century and is a welcome addition to the literature on entrepreneurial activity and the economic history of capitalism in this period.” - EH.Netx

Herbert H. Kaplan is Professor Emeritus of History at Indiana University.