Our Mission
The Rothschild family has maintained an archival record of our history — our biographies, business legacy, philanthropy and place in European history — for the benefit of researchers, scholars and those who share a genuine interest in our story.
Every profile, timeline entry and archive item published here is entered and reviewed by our family archivists, with sources cited wherever they are available. This is our record, told in our own words.
Our Editorial Approach
Biographical and historical content is written and curated by our family archivists, drawing on published historical scholarship, primary documents from our own collections, and public records spanning more than two and a half centuries.
Where a claim is disputed, anecdotal, or cannot be corroborated by a credible source, we say so plainly rather than presenting it as settled fact. Our name and our reputation demand nothing less.
Our Heritage
Founded by Mayer Amschel Rothschild in Frankfurt in 1760, our family has been a defining presence in European banking, finance and philanthropy for over two and a half centuries. From our first modest trading house to the great banking dynasties our sons established across five capitals, we have built something that has endured.
This archive is our commitment to ensuring that endurance is documented honestly and preserved for future generations of our family and of the world.
What Guides Us
Our Values
Accuracy
We source and cite our historical claims wherever possible, and mark what is undocumented as such. Our family's legacy deserves honesty.
Stewardship
We treat our archival material — photographs, documents and letters — as a record to be preserved with the greatest care for those who come after us.
Openness
Our family directory, timeline and archive are open for anyone to browse and reference. Knowledge of our history belongs to the world.