Kings of the world: the richest family clans of billionaires. The richest families in the world

Friends! Today we are opening a column about the outstanding dynasties of the planet. It is known that all significant events in the world over the centuries have been carried out by influential people, and often by entire families. And it is also known that generations that do not know the past are doomed to live without a future. We hope that our new section will be of great help to you in studying such an important science as history.

Of course, we are aware that it is impossible to tell about all the dynasties at once, but to the best of our ability we will try to tell the most interesting facts about families that deserve special attention.

Medici

Clan Medici lasted from the 13th to the 18th century. The descendants of this family were not only monarchs, but also bore the title of Pope. The rise of the House of Medici was not so easy. This family was rich, but they did not have royal blood in their veins. In the 13th century, after a series of unsuccessful conspiracies and riots, this family was removed from political life for a long time. In the middle of the 15th century Cosimo de' Medici managed to return the clan back to power. Members of the Medici family often patronized many areas of the arts.


In particular, painting received special attention. Exactly from the suggestionMediciart in Florence began to actively develop, making the capital of the Florentine Republic a fashionable arts center. Approval from the Medici opened doors for artists to all the royal houses of Europe. Closeness to the Vatican, as well as interdynastic marriages, allowed the familyMedicinot only have a vast treasury, but also gain significant influence on religious, cultural and political life.

Windsors

When talking about popular royal dynasties, most of us will remember the British royal family. The Windsor dynasty is one of the most popular and influential royal families of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The House of Windsor was created on July 17, 1917 by King George V, and this was done in order to get rid of their former German name for the dynasty of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Native sister Margaret was not the only representative of the extensive Windsor clan who went to great lengths in the second half of the 20th century. Members of the royal family, who, unlike Elizabeth, were not so concerned about responsibility to the nation, and went to great lengths to the great joy of the “yellow” press.

The Queen had difficulty bringing the most presumptuous relatives to their senses, demanding to save face. But in 1992, the situation seemed completely out of control. Immediately two of the queen's four children divorced, and the heir to the throne Charles broke up with his beloved Englishman Diana Spencer, who received the unofficial title of “People's Princess.” That same year, Windsor Castle burned down and an income tax was imposed on the Queen, while funding for the royal family was cut.

Elizabeth coped with this crisis, but five years later she was overtaken by a new one - the princess died in 1997 Diana. The Queen was accused of being insensitive, although she was only trying to follow long-established norms. This time she managed to get out of the situation with honor, but five years later there was a new blow. In the anniversary year of the 50th anniversary of being on the throne Elizabeth within a few months she experienced the death of her mother and younger sister.

Against the background of these trials, other scandals are a mere trifle. For example, grandson Harry“delighted” my grandmother by appearing at a party in a German uniform with a swastika.

True, not so long ago film materials surfaced from the home archive of the royal family, where she Elizabeth giving the Nazi salute with his mother in the 1930s. At that time, the Windsor clan had some sympathy for Hitler, which they later tried to forget about once and for all.

Rockefellers

For more than a century, people around the world have associated the name Rockefeller with dazzling wealth and luxury. The history of this family goes back to the distant forties of the 19th century, when he was born John Rockefeller. From childhood, his distinctive feature was the ability to calculate his actions several steps ahead at once.

Having got a job as an assistant in an accounting office at the age of 16, he very quickly absorbed business skills, tenacity and the ability to quickly respond to market demands. And when an oil field was discovered in his city, the future tycoon invested all his savings in black gold, adding to them a substantial loan.

He, unlike other businessmen of that time, was confident that the future lay in long-term projects. If a business is not profitable now, this does not mean at all that it will not enrich the owner in the future. When he first began his journey into the world of petroleum products with the Standard Oil company, many were giddy when they learned about his idea. But the future billionaire (and the first in the world) clearly saw the success of the enterprise in the near future. Very soon (in 1879), the Rockefeller company controlled 90 percent of the oil market in America, dictating the rules of behavior in this sector of the economy.

And thanks to the preservation of family traditions, descendants Rockefeller managed to multiply the family's fortune many times over, reliably securing it in the ranking of the richest in the world.Today the clan owns more than 40 American companies with a total annual income of about 1 trillion dollars (almost 10% of US GDP).

Rothschilds

Family Rothschilds considered the richest in the world. According to official sources, the dynasty's total wealth exceeds US$350 billion. According to other sources, it exceeds 2.5 trillion.


But it is not only the fabulous fortune of the Rothschilds that makes us pay attention to them. It also excites the imagination that in just some fifty years they, Jewish emigrants, turned into the most influential lords and barons, in whose power the entire planet was. The founder of the dynasty was Amschel Mayer Rothschild, born in 1744. At the age of 16, having worked for 4 years at Oppenheimer's bank, he mastered the intricacies of finance, saved up money and opened his own antique shop. In it it was possible to exchange coins of some principalities of Germany for others. Later the shop grew into the first bank Rothschilds.

Years passed and when 5 sons Amschel When they grew up, he sent them to the largest capitals of the world to continue and expand the family enterprise. This allowed the family's influence to spread not only beyond Germany, but also across Europe. The Rothschild Bank was distinguished by the fact that only family members could obtain a leadership position in it. Soon this closed institution was able to issue loans not only to individuals, but also to entire states.

So, in 1818, Prussia received a loan of 5 million pounds from the Rothschilds, and a little later, a branch of the bank in London allocated a round sum to the National Bank of England. And in the New World, the influence of the Rothschilds is difficult to overestimate. They were one of the initiators of the creation of the US Federal Reserve System, and, after its creation, they were able to control the volume of dollars issued. The incredible dexterity and resourcefulness with which representatives of this family were able to accumulate wealth and gain unlimited influence in different countries amaze experts and ordinary people to this day.

Although the total wealth of the clan is estimated at $350 billion (according to other sources, it reaches 2.5 trillion), none of the Rothschilds has a capital of more than $1 billion.

Bushy

Even before they became famous presidents of all America and started choking on bagels, the Bush family supported the Nazis during World War II.


George W. Bush's grandfather, Senator Prescott Bush, headed the United Banking Corporation of the United States. True, her assets were arrested in 1942 for “trading with the enemy.” Until that moment, the OBK represented in the States the interests of Fritz Thyssen, the steel and coal baron who sponsored Adolf Hitler's election campaign in the 30s.


And, although Grandfather Bush himself never expressed his sympathies for the Nazis out loud, he was, of course, well aware of the affairs that the OBC was conducting with Nazi Germany and its individuals. There is even a theory that Prescott Bush and several other very influential characters wanted to surrender Adika to the United States.

First place on the list was taken by the Waltons, heirs of the founder of the world's largest retailer Wal-Mart, Sam Walton. The Waltons' fortune is estimated at $130 billion, a year earlier it was estimated at $149 billion, and in 2014 at $152 billion.

Ranked second on the list Koch family, which controls Koch Industries Corporation, the second largest private company in the United States. The four Koch brothers own a fortune that Forbes estimated at $82 billion (in 2015 - $86 billion). The business was founded by their father and at first specialized in oil refining, but over the years the company has grown into a truly diversified holding. Charles and David are among the top 10 richest people in America and are actively involved in lobbying activities, sponsoring Republicans.

In third place is the Mars family, owners of the world's largest confectionery company, Mars, which produces M&Ms and Snickers. As the magazine calculated, the grandchildren of the founder of Mars Inc. Franklin Clarence Mars - Jacqueline, John and Forrest Mars Jr. have a combined fortune of $78 billion (in 2015 - $80 billion). All three heirs are on the board of directors of the corporation, but are not responsible for operational management. The Mars company was founded in 1911 by the grandfather of the current Mars, Frank Mars, in Tacoma, Washington. Their father, Forrest Sr., entered the family business in 1929, around the same time the company patented a unique recipe for nougat, which is used to make Milky Way and Snickers bars.

Fourth place was taken by the Cargill-McMillan family ($49 billion), which owns an 88% stake in Cargill, one of the largest private companies in the United States, an agricultural business empire engaged in food production, trading in raw materials and providing financial services. The dynasty was founded by William Wallace Cargill, the son of a Scottish captain. He created his first business in 1865 and became rich from the railroad boom of the late 19th century. In 1909, his son-in-law John MacMillan took over the company. Cargill remained a family business until 1995, when John's grandson, Whitney McMillan, left his post as CEO. Today, representatives of the dynasty remain committed to a non-public lifestyle; very little is known about them.

In fifth place is the Cox family with a fortune of $41 billion. James M. Cox bought the Dayton Evening News newspaper in 1898. Today, the company he founded has grown into a family of assets that includes Cox Communications (cable television, broadband), Cox Media Group (newspapers, television, radio), Manheim (car sales) and AutoTrader Group (online car sales, Kelley Blue Book).

Sixth place was taken by the Johnson family ($30 billion), owners of SC Johnson, which produces cleaning products, including Mr. Muscle; in seventh place is the Pritzker family ($29 billion), involved in the hotel business and investments; in eighth place is the family of Edward Johnson ($28.5 billion), founder of the asset management company Fidelity, which grew into the transnational corporation Fidelity Investments; in ninth place is the Hearst family ($28 billion), heirs of publisher William Randolph Hearst, founder of the Hearst media concern. Rounding out the top ten is the Duncan family, heirs of Dan Duncan, founder of the energy company Enterprise Products Partners LP, with a fortune of $21.5 billion.

The combined wealth of members of the richest American families dropped by $11 billion over the year, to $722 billion, Forbes writes. Ten dynasties managed to increase their wealth. The threshold for inclusion in the rating was $10.7 billion. This year, one newcomer made it to the list - the Goldman family, the heirs of developer Saul Goldman. Their fortune is estimated at $13.7 billion.

1. The Walton Family

State:$130 billion

Year of business foundation: 1962

Status source: Wal-Mart

Head office: Bentonville, Arkansas, USA

On the picture: Rob, Alice and Sam Walton (from left to right)

The Walton family controls the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart. Six representatives of the dynasty own almost 54% of the company's shares, which allows them to effectively defend their interests. In June 2015, Rob Walton, who served as Chairman of the Directors for 23 years, resigned.

In one year, the Walton family was $19 billion poorer (their combined wealth was $149 billion in 2015), due to new information about charitable gifts made by Sam Walton's late son John before his death in a plane crash in 2005. Bloomberg reported in November 2015 that John Walton gave half of his $17 billion fortune to charitable foundations during his lifetime, and a third to his only son Lucas. Following these reports, Forbes in 2016 reduced its estimate of John Walton Christie's widow from $41.7 billion to $5.2 billion.

The small company was founded in 1962 in Arkansas by brothers Sam (died 1992) and James (died 1995) Walton. Now the family's fortune is controlled by Sam's three children, the wife of his son, who died in a plane crash in 2005, and James' two daughters.

2. Koch family

State:$82 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 4

Year of business foundation: 1925

Status source: diversified business

Head office: Wichita, Kansas, USA

Koch Industries is today owned by brothers Charles and David Koch. The company was founded by their father and at first was engaged in oil refining. Today Koch Industries is a true diversified holding and the largest private industrial conglomerate with annual revenues of more than $100 billion. In general, the holding could have been owned by four brothers, but in 1983, after a quarrel, Charles and David bought out the shares of other relatives for $700 million.

The brothers are among the top 10 richest people in America and are actively involved in supporting Republicans, such as Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, sponsoring their election campaigns.

3. Mars Family

State:$78 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 3

Year of business foundation: 1911

Status source: confectionery business

Head office: McLean, Virginia, USA

The world's largest confectionery company, Mars, is owned by Jacqueline, John and Forrest Mars Jr. All three are on the board of directors, but are not responsible for operational management. The company was inherited by the heirs in 1999 when their father, Forrest Mars Sr., died.

In 1911, the company was founded by the grandfather of the current heirs, and around 1929, the company patented a unique recipe for nougat, which is part of the famous Milky Way and Snickers bars. Other products created by Mars include M&M's dragees (about 400 million candies per day are produced under this brand in the United States). Now the company makes not only sweets: its portfolio includes brands such as Uncle Ben's rice and pet food Pedigree and Whiskas.

4. The Cargill-MacMillan family

State: $49 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 23 (Forbes estimate)

Year of business foundation: 1865

Status source: Cargill Inc.

Head office: Minneapolis, Minneapolis, USA

The Cargill-Macmillan dynasty has 14 more billionaires than any other family in the world. Together with several cousins, they own 88% of the Cargill agricultural empire. The company produces food products, trades raw materials and provides financial services. Unlike many other families in the ranking, Cargill and MacMillan increased their wealth by $4 billion this year.

The company's history dates back to 1865, when Scottish captain William Wallace Cargill created his first business. He became rich only at the end of the 19th century due to the railway boom. In 1909, Cargill's place was taken by his son-in-law John MacMillan. Cargill remained a family business until 1995, when the grandson of the company's founder stepped down as CEO. Today, only six family members run the company, with most living on a ranch in Montana. And the whole family remains committed to a non-public lifestyle.

5. The Cox Family

State:$41 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 3

Year of business foundation: 1898

Status source: media

Head office: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

In 1898, James M. Cox purchased the Dayton Evening News. The company now has a plethora of assets that includes Manheim (car sales), AutoTrader Group (online car sales, Kelley Blue Book), Cox Communications (cable television) and Cox Media Group (newspapers, television, radio). In June 2015, the company announced it was purchasing auto dealer software maker DealerTrack for $4 billion.

Now the main owner of the business empire is James' daughter Anne Cox Chambers - she owns a 50% stake. The grandson of the company's founder, James (Jim) Kennedy, was CEO from 1988 to 2008 and now chairs the board of directors. James M. Cox's granddaughter Blair Parry-Okeden lives in Australia and is not involved in the family business. Kennedy and Parry-Okeden each inherited 25% of Cox after their mother Barbara Cox-Anthony died in 2007.

6. Johnson Family

State:$30 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 11

Year of business foundation: 1886

Status source: cleaners

Head office: Racine, Wisconsin, USA

This year, the Samuel K. Johnson family rose two places in the ranking, adding $1.5 billion to their fortune. Johnson's Prepared Paste Wax Company was founded in 1886 and sold Johnson's Prepared Paste Wax. , specially designed for the care of parquet floors. In 1928, the company was inherited by his son Herbert Fisk Johnson, who ran the business until his death. Johnson did not leave a will, and after a long struggle for shares in the company, his heirs Herbert Fisk Jr. and Henrietta Johnson Louis received 60% and 40% respectively.Now the company, controlled by the grandchildren of Herbert Fisk Jr., is engaged in the production of cleaning products.The line of SC Johnson brands includes Ziploc bags, as well as Windex, Drano and Raid products.

7. The Pritzker Family

State:$29 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 13

Year of business foundation: 1936

Status source: hotel business, investments

Head office: Chicago, Illinois, USA

The influential Pritzker family is best known as the creators of the Hyatt Hotels chain. But the dynasty owes its fortune to Anthony Pritzker (died 1986), who founded Hyatt with his two sons and invested in various assets, including the industrial conglomerate Marmon Group, now owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

The business clan spent the entire 2000s in endless litigation over family assets until it decided on a management and ownership structure. 11 representatives of the dynasty are included in the list of billionaires according to Forbes. Penny Pritzker, one of the heirs, serves as US Secretary of Commerce. John is the owner of the boutique hotel chain Commune Hotels. Brothers Anthony and Jaybee launched the family investment company Pritzker Group. Karen and her husband Michael are investors. Gigi is a famous film producer. Liesel Pritzker Simmons, who sued her father and other relatives over the division of assets in 2003, is also involved in investments (one of her exotic projects in Ghana is the processing of human waste into combustible fuel).

8. Family (Edward) Johnson

State:$28.5 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 4

Year of business foundation: 1946

Status source: Financial services

Head office: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

In 1946, Edward Johnson II founded the asset management company Fidelity. Now his son Edward “Ned” Johnson III and three grandchildren own 49% of the financial giant, the remaining share is owned by the Fidelity team. Ned has served as Chairman and CEO since 1977. His daughter Abigail took over the position in 2014. Ned's son Edward Johnson IV manages the family's real estate portfolio. The second daughter Elizabeth is not involved in the family business.

9. The Hearst Family

State:$28 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 66

Year of business foundation: 1887

Status source: Hearst Corp.

Head office: New York, New York, USA

The founder of the Hearst business empire, William Randolph Hearst, was a celebrity and even became the prototype for the hero of the film “Citizen Kane” by Orson Welles. In 1887, he was the first to list himself as "owner" in the imprint of the San Francisco Examiner. Today the publisher has 49 newspapers, about 340 magazines published around the world, and shares in the cable networks ESPN, Lifetime and A&E.

The son of Hearst founder William Randolph Hearst Jr. became a famous journalist and received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. Grandson William Randolph Hearst III, as chairman of the board of directors, is involved in the strategy of the media concern. Over its long history, the family has endured several scandals, from the kidnapping of Patty Hearst by radical leftists in the 1970s to the divorce of John "Bunky" Hearst Jr. from his wife Barbara, which exposed the family business secrets of the Hearst dynasty.

10. The Duncan Family

State:$21.5 billion

Number of representatives of the dynasty: 4

Year of business foundation: 1968

Status source: energy

Head office: Houston, Texas, USA

The founder of the dynasty, Dan Duncan, was born into a poor family in the provincial Texas town of Center. Left without parents, Duncan - the future billionaire's mother and brother died when he was 7 years old - was raised by his grandmother. He became the richest resident of Texas thanks to investments in the gas, oil and chemical industries. When Duncan died in 2010 at age 77, his nearly $10 billion fortune was inherited proportionately by his four children Randa Duncan-Williams, Milan Franz, Dannin Duncan-Awara and Scott Duncan.

Since then, the family fortune has almost doubled. His eldest daughter Randa chairs the board of directors. Scott, 32, is among America's youngest millionaires who inherited their wealth rather than making it. And sisters Milan and Dannin are involved in charity work in their home state.

Everyone knows that history is made by the most influential people of their era, and often by entire families.

Each generation, brought up in the best traditions of such clans, increases the family fortune and increases their influence not only on a separate sector of the economy, but also on entire states. They have power over the legal, political and financial systems, which gives them the opportunity to determine the development of nations and all of humanity for decades to come.

For thousands of years, royal dynasties have fulfilled this role, taking advantage of their privileges. With the beginning of the scientific and technological revolution, people from the people who previously did not have such a chance were able to break into the “powers of this world”. They developed their projects, passing them on by inheritance, thereby forming entire families of entrepreneurs.

Let's take a closer look at 5 of them.

5th place - Walton family - fortune 100 billion dollars

The descendants of one of the most successful US entrepreneurs of the 20th century: Stefan, Jim, Christy and Alice Walton form another clan of rich people, ranked 5th in our ranking. Their total wealth is estimated at almost $100 billion.

Relatives own the largest supermarket chain Wal-Mart with an annual turnover of more than $400 billion (2010).

The founder of Wal-Mart (Walton's Market) - Sam Walton was born in 1918 into a simple farming family. According to experts, his entrepreneurial talent was influenced by the Great American Depression, which he witnessed. It was the general decline of the population that pushed Sam to look for ways to develop. Starting at the age of 7, the boy took an active part in his father’s business, helping to sell dairy products. Having saved some money, he began to raise birds and rabbits for sale himself. “He knows how to make money out of thin air,” his school friends said about him.

It took Sam Walton 34 years to make his first billion. Before that, he organized a number of projects that did not bring him such fame, but gave him the opportunity to accumulate invaluable experience in entrepreneurship. Having bequeathed the Wal-Mart corporation to his 4 children after his death, he made no mistake in choosing his heirs. They enthusiastically continued their father's work, taking it to a new level.

By the way, the heiress to her husband Walton’s billions is currently the richest woman in the world with a fortune of twenty-eight billion, and owns part of his network.

4th place - Oppenheimer family - $200 billion

The family controls the lion's share of the diamond market worldwide.

Ernest Oppenheimer(b. 1880), a native of Germany, became the head of the De Beers diamond mining corporation in South Africa in 1920. There, under his leadership, Anglo American, the largest gold mining company at that time, was born. Oppenheimer did not stop there and decided to subjugate not only the production of precious metals and diamonds, but also control their sales. The world soon saw the Central Selling Organization (CSO), better known as the "Syndicate", capturing more than 90% of all diamond sales in the world.

Thus, De Beers extracted raw materials and transported them to different countries of the world, where CSO got to work, sorted and released finished products to the market.

After his father's death, his son Harry Frederick Oppenheimer inherited his syndicate and the presidency of De Beers.
It was only in 2011 that the family exited the diamond business, selling its stake in De Beers for more than $5 billion. Now they are more interested in the field of high technology and innovation. Most recently, the Oppenheimers bought a 10% stake in Yandex. The future plans of the clan representatives are not reported.

3rd place - Rockefeller family - annual income - $1 trillion

For more than a century, people around the world have associated the name Rockefeller with dazzling wealth and luxury. The history of this family goes back to the distant forties of the 19th century, when he was born John Rockefeller. From childhood, his distinctive feature was the ability to calculate his actions several steps ahead at once.

Having got a job as an assistant in an accounting office at the age of 16, he very quickly absorbed business skills, tenacity and the ability to quickly respond to market demands. And when an oil field was discovered in his city, the future tycoon invested all his savings in black gold, adding to them a substantial loan.

He, unlike other businessmen of that time, was confident that the future lay in long-term projects. If a business is not profitable now, this does not mean at all that it will not enrich the owner in the future. When he first began his journey into the world of petroleum products with the Standard Oil company, many were giddy when they learned about his idea. But the future billionaire (and the first in the world) clearly saw the success of the enterprise in the near future. Very soon (in 1879), the Rockefeller company controlled 90 percent of the oil market in America, dictating the rules of behavior in this sector of the economy.

And thanks to the preservation of family traditions, Rockefeller’s descendants were able to multiply the family’s fortune many times over, reliably securing it in the ranking of the richest in the world.

Today the clan owns more than 40 American companies with a total annual income of about 1 trillion dollars (almost 10% of US GDP).

2nd place - Morgan family - annual income - $1.5 trillion

One of the largest financial dynasties in the United States controls about 20% of US GDP, producing a total of more than $1.5 trillion in goods and services. They own about a hundred American companies, including General Electric and General Motors, the world's largest electrical and automotive concerns. Moreover, the latter’s activities are not limited to the production of cars and engines for them alone; nuclear reactors, rocket engines and tanks are distributed from its factories around the world.

The ancestor of the richest family in the world was John Pierpont Morgan, a talented American businessman who built the first financial empire in the United States.

He founded a number of industrial giants, including:

    "Western Union"

    American Telephone and Telegraph

    "General Electric"

    United States Steel Corporation, etc.

It was not for nothing that his contemporaries nicknamed John Morgan Jupiter - in honor of the greatest of the great rulers of the heavens. He worked with incredible dedication, and managed to pass it on to his heirs, who continued the work of one of the most outstanding entrepreneurs in history.

1st place - Rothschild clan - fortune from 350 billion to 2.5 trillion dollars

The Rothschild family is considered the richest in the world. According to official sources, the dynasty's total wealth exceeds US$350 billion. According to other sources, it exceeds 2.5 trillion.

But it is not only the fabulous fortune of the Rothschilds that makes us pay attention to them. It also excites the imagination that in just some fifty years they, Jewish emigrants, turned into the most influential lords and barons, in whose power the entire planet was. The founder of the dynasty was Amschel Mayer Rothschild, born in 1744. At the age of 16, having worked for 4 years at Oppenheimer's bank, he mastered the intricacies of finance, saved up money and opened his own antique shop. In it it was possible to exchange coins of some principalities of Germany for others. Later the shop grew into the first Rothschild bank.

Years passed, and when Amschel's 5 sons grew up, he sent them to the largest capitals of the world to continue and expand the family enterprise. This allowed the family's influence to spread not only beyond Germany, but also across Europe. The Rothschild Bank was distinguished by the fact that only family members could obtain a leadership position in it. Soon this closed institution was able to issue loans not only to individuals, but also to entire states.

So, in 1818, Prussia received a loan of 5 million pounds from the Rothschilds, and a little later, a branch of the bank in London allocated a round sum to the National Bank of England. And in the New World, the influence of the Rothschilds is difficult to overestimate. They were one of the initiators of the creation of the US Federal Reserve System, and, after its creation, they were able to control the volume of dollars issued. The incredible dexterity and resourcefulness with which representatives of this family were able to accumulate wealth and gain unlimited influence in different countries amaze experts and ordinary people to this day.

Although the total wealth of the clan is estimated at $350 billion (according to other sources, it reaches 2.5 trillion), none of the Rothschilds has a capital of more than $1 billion.

This is what the list of the real, truly rich people of the planet looks like, who, without exaggeration, control the world economy and the governments of many countries around the world. It is at their “call of the heart” that most wars on earth begin and end. They control hundreds of millions of lives on our earth...

We live in a time when the richest people are easily recognized through the media. TV crews and photo reporters tirelessly follow celebrities, guarding their every move. Not everyone can withstand the increased interest from ordinary people and the press. However, few people realize that influential bankers are subject to attacks from the press even more than show business stars. After all, the masses have always had a negative attitude towards banking in general.

In this publication we will talk about a family that did not need to contact reporters in order to gain worldwide fame. We will talk about the most powerful and influential financial clan in the world and its dark sides.

The Rothschild family is the richest and most powerful dynasty in the whole world. And if now its representatives can hardly be seen at the top of Forbes, then a few decades ago everything was different. For the last two centuries, this clan, having received untold wealth, had too much influence on world politics and the economy. However, history has never known a more secretive family. Let's reveal some of their secrets.

A string of incest trails behind them

This family had so much money that each of its members could become a tasty morsel for those suffering to enter into a marriage of convenience. In order to keep their own money within the family, the Rothschilds practiced incest. They did not want to share with unfaithful wives after divorce and preferred to marry their cousins. This sounds unattractive from a biological point of view, but at the same time it is a profitable financial strategy. This movement was led by the founder of the Mayer dynasty, Amschel Rothschild. It was he who monitored the restrictions on the women of the family in choosing a marriage partner. If a woman from the Rothschild clan wanted to marry for love, she had to lose her inheritance. The only way to maintain financial well-being was to marry a cousin.

Some of them put themselves above kings and presidents

Unlimited money is the root of all evil. Many members of the Rothschild dynasty considered themselves above laws and legislators. Amschel Rothschild once said: “Give me control of the country’s economy, and I will set my own laws.” It turns out that unlimited financial capabilities made it possible to think about unlimited power. Essentially, they placed themselves above kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers and any other rulers.

They dictated the price of gold

Even now, it is generally accepted that gold prices are still set with the participation of the Rothschild family. However, in 2004, Nathan Mayer Rothschild and his sons left the gold business, giving their place to Barclays. The Rothschild family gained a decisive say in determining gold prices in 1919 at a meeting of five leading traders. The ability to dictate gold prices effectively gave the Rothschild clan unlimited power over its competitors.

Impact on the US Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve System is a bank that is privately owned. It is in this structure that the United States of America holds most of its assets. The Federal Reserve's main office is located in New York. There is an opinion that both the Rothschild family and the Rockefeller family have the final say in this structure. It is known for certain that the Rothschild family considered it a priority to control such financial structures in many European countries. Whether they had an interest in controlling the financial situation in America is still not clear, just as the full figure of their American assets is unknown.

They could be Satanists

Many people seriously believe that representatives of the Rothschild family are supporters of Satanists. According to numerous eyewitnesses, during family and holiday dinners, Satan was given a place of honor at the table, which was usually empty. Some family members put Solomon's seal on documents instead of signing them. Now this sign is seen as a symbol of the Jewish people. But in past years, the seal of Solomon was practically not used. The only exceptions were magicians and Satanists.

This family was connected to secret societies

It can be said that the connection of rich people with the Freemasons, Illuminati and other secret societies is a favorite topic of conspiracy theories. It is curious that such rumors started with the light hand of the Rothschilds. Although there is a possibility that the family simply responded to the rumors and decided not to debunk the myth they had created about themselves in the minds of the public. It is not known for certain whether they were really connected with secret societies or misled the curious public. However, many people are confident that the financing of the Bavarian portholes was carried out by the Rothschilds. This is indirectly evidenced by the peace treaty signed after the end of the First World War. Since this society was secret, we will never know the details.

They financed many major wars

According to some estimates, the Rothschild family controls half the money in the world. It was this circumstance that allowed them to finance most of the major wars over the past 200 years: from the conquests of Napoleon to the world wars of the 20th century. Moreover, they lent money not to individuals, but to governments. That is why this family can be safely noted as the most powerful in history over the past two centuries.

They threw weird parties

At one party in 1972, invitations to guests were written in mirror image font. As guests arrived at the event, the lights at the front of the building were completely red. Other parties had other oddities: mandatory wearing of animal masks on the head, masks with several faces and other oddities. If we looked at these events now, we could easily confuse them with Lady Gaga's grotesque music videos.

Their assets could total $650 billion

The Rothschild family is the richest family in the entire history of the world. Today, according to experts, their capital is estimated at $350 billion. However, there are some discrepancies which may be due to confusion due to intra-family marriages being practiced. But, of course, the amount of 350 billion is hard to believe, because Jacob Rothschild alone has assets worth 50 billion, and another 20 billion in the account of Evelyn de Rothschild. According to the wildest unofficial estimates, the total amount of all family assets could amount to $1 trillion.

Nathan Rothschild defrauded the London Stock Exchange

After the Battle of Waterloo, Nathan Rothschild effectively controlled all of England's finances. A little earlier, he announced that the upcoming battle was not so hopeless, although all the other financiers believed that this battle would only bring losses and empty the treasury. Nathan then went straight to the London Stock Exchange and sold all his bonds to the British government. As if on cue, all the financiers did the same. As a result, the price of bonds fell to a minimum level. The nosy businessman took advantage of this. He bought back from the government not only his own securities, but also those of his competitors, acquiring even more power.