Throughout the 19th century, the banking influence of the Rothschilds grew across Europe. William I, Prince Elector of Hesse-Cassel, entrusted the Rothschilds with part of his fortune when Napolen forced him into exile in 1806. Eight years later, the Prince recovered the assets from the Rothschilds along with the capital gains and interest payments generated by astute management. During the Napoleonic wars, the London branch financed Wellington's army.
Recognition and rewards :
As a reward for their dynamism, the Rothschilds were knighted by Emperor Franz I of Austria in September 1822. They, and all their descendants, were raised to the title of Baron. They adopted a coat of arms representing 5 connected arrows in memory of a legend that Mayer Amschel, the founder of the dynasty, used to relate to his five sons: "Taken one by one, the five arrows are easy to break. Together, they resist. Always stay united". |