 |
Rothschild
[Red Shield]. Mayer Amschel, in 1763, made his
appearance in Hanover barefoot, with a sack on his shoulders and a
bundle of rags on his back. Successful in trade, he returned to
Frankfort and set up a small shop, over which hung the signboard of a red shield. As a dealer in old coins he became known to William
I., Elector of Hesse-Cassel, who appointed him confidential agent. The
serene elector being compelled to fly his country Mayer Amschel took
charge of his cash, amounting to 250,000. When Napoleon was banished to
Elba, and the elector returned, Amschel was dead, but his son Anselm
restored the money, an act of noble honesty which the elector mentioned
at the Congress of Vienna. Hence arose the greatness of the house,
which assumed the name of the Red Shield. In 1863 Charles received six
millions sterling as his personal
share and retiring pension from the firm of the five brothers.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Rothschild from Infoplease:
See a map of "" in the Visual Thesaurus
|
|
