13. They Helped Create Israel

The Rothschild played a role in the creation of Israel by purchasing land for Jewish settlement and agricultural development. Once Israel was established as a country, the Rothschild family funded schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions.

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14. Five Sons Created Five Branches

Mayer Amschel Rothschild created the first international banking empire by strategically sending each of his five sons to a different capital city in Europe. This created a financial network that spanned the whole continent.

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15. They're Still Prominent In The Finance World

Although no longer necessarily the richest family in the world, the Rothschilds remain important through their ongoing activities in finance and philanthropy. Their firm, Rothschild & Co, is still a major player in investment banking, asset management, and private banking, and they still support the arts and other causes. 

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16. They Established Several Banks Across Europe

The Rothschild family established several major banks across Europe, some of which are still active today. N M Rothschild & Sons in London is still active as Rothschild & Co. and still advises governments, corporations, and wealthy people. 

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17. A Rothschild Was The First "Paper Millionaire"

Nathan Mayer Rothschild, one of Mayer's five sons, was reportedly the first "paper millionaire," meaning he was the first person to amass that much fortune through bonds and loans rather than gold or physical goods. This changed the way people look at wealth forever. 

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18. They Had Their Own Private Intelligence Service

The Rothschilds had their own intelligence network of couriers and messengers so they could efficiently communicate between branches and also know what was going on in the world even before governments did. This gave them a critical advantage in business and finance. 

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19. They Started As Dealers In Luxury Goods

Mayer Amschel Rothschild got his start trading luxury goods and rare coins. He managed to gain the patronage of Prince Wilhelm of Hesse, which he leveraged to get into banking. 

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20. They Funded Scientific Research

The Rothschilds not only funded arts, but also scientific research, too. They've established foundations focused on various disciplines, including molecular biology, infant medicine, infectious diseases, and neuroscience. 

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