I've read around a lot that the Rothschild family had an agent at the battle of waterloo who brought back news of the english defeat. But this was a lie, as the british had won the battle. Bonds plummeted and Rothschild, knowing the truth, bought up the bonds at pennies on the dollar. I read this on a lot of less-than-scholarly sites and was wondering if there is any historical truth to it? And if there is, can someone source it? Maybe a record of bond prices around the battle of waterloo?
I don't doubt it, but it's hardly something I can bring up in an argument to establish Rothschild's connection with the bank of england until I can substantiate the claim.
The Anarch is to the Anarchist what the Monarch is to the Monarchist. -Ernst Jünger
I don't know but a lot of things said about the Rothschild family are false, so I'd say it's probably not true.
I can find no mention of this episode in Georges Lefevbre's book which is one of the best authorities about economics during the First Empire.
I do know that the English government issued bonds without an expiry date in order to fund the Napoleonic wars. However, I have no idea who bought them and if they were issued as a result of the incident you mentioned.
'' The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.'' Stephen Hawking
Kakugo: I can find no mention of this episode in Georges Lefevbre's book which is one of the best authorities about economics during the First Empire.
The purchase was of English bonds, not French ones. Historian Niall Ferguson claims it to be true. I just don't want to toss it around and then be called anti semitic for using some historical piece on par with Protocols of Elders of Zion.
I once traced this claim back to a historian in the light 19th century (I believe), although I'm not sure how much stock to put into itt. It certainly is interesting that Ferguson believes this happened. Do you have a citation?
http://www.businessweek.com/1998/49/b3607071.htm
Here he supports the claim that the Rothschilds had knowledge of the victory before anyone else, but does not comment on the 'fake sell-off' story.
The Rothschilds were bankers for many of the elite. I recommend that you read Niall Ferguson's books on the Rothschilds. You'll get a sense of how powerful they were in an albeit small market for securities. You'll even pick up some business tips.
To paraphrase Marc Faber: We're all doomed, but that doesn't mean that we can't make money in the process. Rabbi Lapin: "Let's make bricks!" Stephan Kinsella: "Say you and I both want to make a German chocolate cake."
Lefevbre covers the whole of Europe (for example devoting an entire chapter to smuggling and customs in Germany) so it's pretty comprehensive.
However he could have chosen not to report something for which he lacked multiple sources and/or since the last edition was the book was printed in 1956, new sources may have turned up since then.