Lionel de Rothschild
1808 – 1879 British banker, politician
London banker and the first Jewish MP to take his seat in the Commons.
- Religion
- Ashkenazi Jewish.
- Affiliations
- Head of N M Rothschild & Sons; first practising Jew to sit in the House of Commons; funded Britain's purchase of the Suez Canal shares.
He led the London house after his father Nathan and was repeatedly elected to Parliament, finally taking his seat in 1858 after the oath was changed to admit Jews. In 1875 his bank advanced the money for Britain to buy the Khedive of Egypt's Suez Canal shares.
Connections
- associate of Benjamin Disraeli — Arranged the Suez Canal loan for Disraeli's government.
- family of Nathan Mayer Rothschild — His father.
- family of Nathan Mayer Rothschild — His son and successor at the London house.
- family of Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild — His father.
- family of Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild — His son, the first Jewish peer.
In the timeline
- 1858 Lionel de Rothschild takes his seat in the House of Commons central figure
- 1875 Rothschild loan funds Britain's Suez Canal shares mentioned
- 1917 Lionel de Rothschild founds League of British Jews central figure