Baron Rothschild

Baron Rothschild, of Tring in the County of Hertford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.^[1] It was created in 1885 for Sir Nathan Rothschild, 2nd Baronet, a member of the Rothschild banking family.^[2] He was the first Jewish member of the House of Lords not to have previously converted to Christianity. The current holder of the title is Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild, who inherited the title in 1990.

History

The Rothschild Baronetcy, of Tring Park, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1847 for Anthony de Rothschild, a banker and politician, with remainder to the male issue of his elder brother, Lionel de Rothschild, the first ever Member of Parliament of the Jewish faith. Both Anthony and Lionel were the sons of the influential financier Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777–1836), founder of the English branch of the family.

The first Baronet was succeeded according to the special remainder by his nephew, the aforementioned second Baronet, who was elevated to the peerage in 1885. Although other Jews such as Sampson Eardley and Benjamin Disraeli had received peerages, Eardley's did not entitle him to sit in the House of Lords, while Disraeli had previously converted to Christianity. Rothschild was thus the first person of Jewish faith to sit in the House of Lords. The latter was succeeded by his eldest son, Walter, the second Baron. He was a banker and politician but is best remembered for his interest in zoology. He died without issue and his brother had predeceased him, so upon his death, the titles passed to his nephew Victor, the third Baron. He was the son of the Hon. Charles Rothschild.

As of 2017, the titles are held by the third Baron's eldest son, Jacob, the fourth Baron, who succeeded in 1990.^[1]

There is also a title of Baron de Rothschild (Freiherr von Rothschild) in the Austrian nobility. In 1838, Queen Victoria authorized the use of this Austrian title in the United Kingdom by Lionel de Rothschild and certain other members of the Rothschild family.^[3] However, the use of such foreign titles in the United Kingdom was subsequently limited by a warrant of 27 April 1932.^[4]

Rothschild Baronets, of Tring Park (1847)

• Sir Anthony Nathan de Rothschild, 1st Baronet (1810–1876)
• Sir Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 2nd Baronet (1840–1915) (created Baron Rothschild in 1885)

Barons Rothschild (1885)

• Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild (1840–1915)
• Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild (1868–1937)
• Nathaniel Mayer Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild (1910–1990)
• Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild (b. 1936)

Line of succession

According to the rules of inheritance of British peerages, the title is passed to the closest male heir (usually the eldest son) bypassing any daughters or other female family members.

1. The Hon. Nathaniel Philip Victor James Rothschild (b. 1971), only son of the fourth Baron.^[1]
2. James Amschel Victor Rothschild (b. 1985), nephew of the fourth Baron.^[1]

There are living male descendants of Lionel Nathan de Rothschild who are in remainder to the baronetcy only.

References