This is an interesting story of how one family grew into one of the wealthiest and most financially impactful families in the 18th and 19th centuries. They leveraged the patriarch's wealth into three divisions: one in Austria, one in Paris, and one in London. The London house got its start in textiles, which I thought was interesting because that's exactly what Warren Buffett did when buying Berkshire Hathaway (a group of struggling textile plants).

The Rothschilds essentially financed governments because there were no central banks at the time. They filled this role and singlehandedly created the bond market. At the time, governments needed money to fill the gaps between tax collections.

Additionally, many governments needed money for their armies to either go to war or prevent it. The Rothschilds often time financed peace by helping countries fortify their armies.

As with all successful people, the Rothschilds faced scrutiny. They were a tight-knit Jewish family that intermarried to keep the businesses together. They were one of the few Jewish families that did not convert to Christianity, which increased the scorn.