Mayer Amschel Rothschild (23 February 1744 – 19 September 1812) was a German banker and the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty, which is believed to have become the wealthiest family in human history. Referred to as the "founding father of international finance," Rothschild was ranked seventh on the Forbes magazine list of "The Twenty Most Influential Businessmen of All Time" in 2005.