Empire of Shadows True Story of the Richest Family in History

This 2024 documentary traces the rise of the Rothschild banking dynasty from its 18th-century beginnings in Frankfurt’s Jewish quarter under Mayer Amschel Rothschild through the strategic expansion of his five sons into London, Paris, Vienna, Naples, and Frankfurt. It examines their financing of European governments, wars, railways, mining operations, and colonial ventures during the 19th and early 20th centuries, alongside their involvement in major historical events including the Napoleonic Wars, the Suez Canal purchase, and the Balfour Declaration. The film explores the family’s accumulated wealth, intermarriages with aristocracy, and enduring legacy in global finance using archival documents, letters, and historical financial records.