קלמן קרל מאיר רוטשילד

Kalman Carl Mayer Rothschild  (1788-1855), banker in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the founder of the Rothschild banking family of Naples, who had been born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He was the fourth of the five sons of Mayer Amschel Rothschild. Wanting to expand the family business across Europe, Amschel, the eldest Rothschild's son remained in Frankfurt, while each of the other sons were sent to different European cities to establish a banking branch.

The 1821 occupation of Naples by the Austrian army provided the opportunity for the Rothschilds to set up business in the Kingdom. As such, Carl Rothschild was sent to Naples where he established C M de Rothschild & Figli to operate as a satellite office to the Rothschild banking family.

He proved himself in Naples as a strong financial manager and someone very capable at developing all-important business connections. He established a good working relationship with Luigi de Medici, the Direttore della Segreteria di Azienda del Regno di Napoli (Finance Minister), and his operation became the dominant banking house in Naples. During the winter of 1826, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, future King of the Belgians was a guest of Carl von Rothschild at his villa in Naples. In 1829, Carl was appointed consul-general of Sicily at Frankfurt and in January 1832 the Jewish banker was given a ribbon and star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George at a ceremony with the new Roman Catholic Pope, Gregory XVI.

Carl von Rothschild maintained homes in Frankfurt am Main and in Naples. In 1837 he built the Villa Günthersburg on a large country property outside Frankfurt am Main owned by his father at what is now Günthersburg Park. In 1841, he bought the Villa Pignatelli at Riviera di Chiaia with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean sea and Vesuvio Volcano.