The Rothschild banking clan was founded by Mayer Amschel Rothschild, a Frankfort Jew. Working with his five sons, his firm grew to preeminence in the geopolitical crucible of the Napoleonic wars. After the old man's death, the brothers dispersed across Europe, establishing branches in London, Paris, Vienna, and Naples. The Rothschilds became the foremost international bankers in the world, providing large loans to governments and rubbing elbows with such illustrious personages as Metternich and Louis Philippe.
As the author, Count Corti, explains in the introduction, the Rothschilds are generally left out of history, despite the important role they played in shaping it. Indeed, they were known to have used their influence to suppress criticism of themselves in the press. The Rothschilds, uneducated Jews straight out of the ghetto, forced their way into high society (from which such persons were normally excluded) and, whenever possible, pushed for loosening of restrictions on Jews. Rootless internationalists, each brother moved to a different country to facilitate their financial interests there. Though they certainly had tremendous wealth, power, and influence, the historical impact of the Rothschilds is typically exaggerated by conspiracists. Count Corti strives to explain their origins objectively, and dispels some of the popular legends that had grown up around the family.