Amschel Mayer von Rothschild (1773-1855)

He was the eldest son of the founder of the Rothschild Bank and succeeded as head of the family in 1812. He remained in Frankfurt while his brothers were dispatched to Paris, London, Naples and Vienna to open up new branches of the bank. He was ennobled in 1817 (ie., entitled to added the suffix von to his surname) and became a Freiherr in 1822 which although a rank below 'Baron,' in conversation German's tended to address Frieherrs as Barons. He married Eva Hanau (whose half-brother's step-grandson August Belmont looked after the Rothschild's interests in America) but died without children when his nephews Anselm, Mayer, and Wilhelm became joint heads.