Carl Rothschild Mayer von Rothschild, born Kalman…
1822 CE
Carl Rothschild Mayer von Rothschild, born Kalman Mayer Rothschild in Frankfurt am Main, the fourth of the five sons of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1743-1812) and Gutlé Schnapper (1753-1849), has become known as "Carl" by the family except for his English relatives who translate it as "Charles".
Raised in an increasingly prosperous family, he has been trained in his father's banking business and had lived at home until age twenty-nine, when he acquired a modest residence at 33 Neue Mainzer Strasse in Frankfurt am Main in preparation for his marriage on September 16, 1818 to Adelheid Herz (1800-1853).
Wanting to expand the family business across Europe, the eldest Rothschild son Amschel has remained in Frankfurt, while each of the other sons have been sent to different European cities to establish a banking branch.
The 1821 occupation of Naples by the Austrian army had provided the opportunity for the Rothschilds to set up business in the Kingdom.
As such, Carl Rothschild has been sent to Naples where he establishes C M de Rothschild & Figli to operate as a satellite office to the Rothschild banking family of Germany headquarters in Frankfurt am Main.
Carl Rothschild, who has sometimes been seen as the least gifted of the five brothers, proves himself in Naples as a strong financial manager and someone very capable at developing all-important business connections.
He establishes a good working relationship with Luigi de' Medici, the Direttore della Segreteria di Azienda del Regno di Napoli (Finance Minister), and his operation becomes the dominant banking house in Naples.
As a result of Carl's success, the Rothschilds have a substantial banking presence in England and three other major European capitals, giving the family considerable influence and an advantage over their competitors.
In 1822, Carl Rothschild and his four brothers are each granted the title of baron, or Freiherr, by Austria's Francis I.