Dynasty of fabulous riches but also tragedy and feuds

THE Rothschild banking dynasty was founded in England at the end of the 18th Century by Frankfurt-born Nathan Mayer Rothschild. It funded Britain’s Napoleonic wars and by the mid-20th Century was a major global financial player under Anthony de Rothschild. But when Anthony’s son Evelyn became chairman in 1976, he and cousin Jacob Rothschild became locked in a bitter feud over strategy.

Jacob’s father Victor, the 3rd Baron Rothschild, de facto head of the family, joined the bank as chairman but the former wartime MI5 officer failed to secure a rapprochement and Jacob quit. Evelyn’s 27-year tenure as head of the bank saw him build £4.6billion of assets. He was a feared, autocratic figure but with weaknesses including exotic cars and chocolate.

In 1982 his first wife, British model Jeanette Bishop, was found dead, believed murdered, on an Italian mountain road.

By then he had remarried US tycoon’s daughter Victoria Lou Schott, mother of his heirs Jessica, Anthony and David.

They divorced in 2000 – and the arrival of third wife, Lynn, that year began the rift between her and Evelyn’s children.