A penetrating account of the founding family members of the famous Rothschild banking dynasty, written by one of America's top Jewish writers who spins an enthralling story explaining the exact origin and operation of the family business which became known as the "financier of nations." Starting with their humble origins in the medieval town center of Frankfort, this book follows the ups and downs of the Rothschilds from the time of their first important customer, the Elector of Hannover, right through to their domination of the world of high finance and inter-governmental loans, an era which ended in the mid-twentieth century. This book reveals exactly how, and why, the four Rothschild sons were sent to the great capitals of Europe-London, Paris, Vienna, and Naples-and of how the family revolutionized the concept of international banking. The intriguing story of how the Rothschilds helped the British under Napoleon's nose, and of how they were rewarded with a large number of contracts by the victorious powers after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, makes up but one of the many fascinating details revealed in this work. A book which cuts decisively through the myth which still surrounds the Rothschild dynasty, and which is required reading for anyone interested in this still ongoing topic. This new edition has also been updated with records from the official Rothschild archive, detailing events and dealings which took place after Ravage's work was originally published.