Freifrau (; male, abbreviated as ), (; his wife, abbreviated as , literally "free lord" or "free lady") and (, his unmarried daughters and maiden aunts) are designations used as titles of nobility in the German-speaking areas of the Holy Roman Empire ...

'' Charlotte von Rothschild (13 June 1819 – 13 March 1884) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

-born

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socialite. She was a member of the

Rothschild banking family of Naples The Rothschild banking family of Naples ( it, Famiglia di banchieri Rothschild) was founded by Calmann (Carl) Mayer von Rothschild (1788–1855) who was sent to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from Frankfurt am Main, Germany in 1821. Endogamy ...

Family

Rothschild was born into the well known

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

banking family, the Rothschilds. She was the eldest child and only daughter of Carl Mayer ''Freiherr'' von Rothschild (1788–1855) and Adelheid Herz (1800–1853). Her maternal grandparents were Moses Isaac Herz (sometimes spelled Hertz) and Clara (née Salomon or Saaling.) She was born in

Frankfurt am Main, Germany Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its n ...

on 13 June 1819. Both her parents were Jewish.

Marriage

Because

endogamy Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste, or ethnic group, rejecting those from others as unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. Endogamy is common in many cultu ...

within the Rothschild family was an essential part of their strategy to ensure that control of their wealth remained in family hands, on 15 June 1836, two days after her seventeenth birthday, Rothschild married Lionel ''Freiherr'' de Rothschild (1808–1879), her first cousin from the English branch of the family. They had the following children: # Leonora (1837–1911) #

Evelina ''Evelina, or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World'' is a novel written by English author Fanny Burney and first published in 1778. Although published anonymously, its authorship was revealed by the poet George Huddesford in ...

(1839–1866) # Nathan Mayer (1840–1915) # Alfred Charles (1842–1918) # Leopold (1845–1917) The couple maintained residences at 148 Piccadilly and Gunnersbury Park in London where, in the tradition of the English family, she used the style "de" Rothschild. Rothschild's arranged marriage flourished for 43 years based on great love and mutual respect. In an era when male and female roles were clearly defined, Charlotte had been better educated in art than her husband and would be instrumental in most of their art assemblage. In 1858, her husband became the first unconverted

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...

to sit in the British House of Commons. Charlotte ''

'' de Rothschild became one of England's most prominent socialites whose dinner invitations, according to biographer

Stanley Weintraub Stanley Weintraub (April 17, 1929 – July 28, 2019) was an American historian and biographer and an expert on George Bernard Shaw. Early life Weintraub was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 17, 1929. He was the eldest child of Benja ...

, were favoured over those from Buckingham Palace. In 1844, the ''

'' caused a sensation in London society when the American

showman Showman can have a variety of meanings, usually by context and depending on the country. Australia Travelling showmen are people who run amusement and side show equipment at regional shows, state capital shows, events and festivals througho ...

P. T. Barnum and his celebrated

midget Midget (from ''midge'', a tiny biting insect) is a term for a person of unusually short stature that is considered by some to be pejorative due to its etymology. While not a medical term like "dwarfism", a medical condition with a number of ca ...

Tom Thumb Tom Thumb is a character of English folklore. ''The History of Tom Thumb'' was published in 1621 and was the first fairy tale printed in English. Tom is no bigger than his father's thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, tan ...

" performed at her home. However, beyond socializing and entertaining, Charlotte von Rothschild was a dedicated patron of numerous charities with a special interest in education.

Death

Rothschild died at her Gunnersbury Park home on 13 March 1884 and was buried next to her husband in the

Willesden Jewish Cemetery The Willesden United Synagogue Cemetery, usually known as Willesden Jewish Cemetery, is a Jewish cemetery at Beaconsfield Road, Willesden, in the London Borough of Brent, England. It opened in 1873 on a site. It has been described as the ...

. Following her death, her eldest son named a newly constructed block of housing for low-income persons "Charlotte's Buildings."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rothschild, Charlotte von English socialites English philanthropists English art collectors Women art collectors 19th-century German Jews German baronesses Charlotte von Rothschild 1819 births 1884 deaths Burials at Willesden Jewish Cemetery German emigrants to England Austrian baronesses

Family

Marriage

Death

See also

References

External links