Publications in the Traditions section

The legacy of the millionaires of Imperial Russia

In 2005, Forbes magazine published a list of the richest people in Russia. But not modern, but 1914 - the last calm year of the empire.

Some of these families - the Morozovs, the Ryabushinskys - went down in the history of Russian philanthropy. But it’s also interesting to look at the cultural heritage left by the top ten millionaires on this list. We study together with Sofia Bagdasarova.

1. Nikolay Vtorov

Nikolay Vtorov

Net worth: more than 60 million rubles. Vtorov's enterprises were engaged in textiles, the chemical industry, gold mining, metalworking, construction, trade, banking, military supplies - in general, everything in a row. He was killed under mysterious circumstances in Moscow in 1918.

What I left:

Elektrostal near Moscow reveres Vtorov as the founder of the city. The Moscow mansion of Vtorov (Spaso House) in the neoclassical style, hidden in the Arbat alleys, is interesting. After the revolution it was given to the American embassy. By the way, it was here on April 24, 1935 that the fantastic “Spring Festival” took place, at which there were several hundred guests, including Mikhail Bulgakov. It was this holiday with jazz, flowers and live birds that became the prototype of Satan’s ball in The Master and Margarita. Today this is the residence of the American Ambassador. Many beautiful buildings, passages and shops remained from the Vtorov company in the cities of Siberia, where the Vtorovs were from - in Irkutsk, Tomsk, Biysk, Novosibirsk, etc.

Passage of merchants Vtorov in Tomsk. Photo: Anastasia Tolkacheva / Wikipedia

Estate of the Vtorov merchants in Irkutsk. Photo: Fanzuga/Wikipedia

Mansion of the Vtorov merchants in Moscow. Photo: Alexander Ivanov / “Moscow Estates”

2. Nobels

Emmanuel Nobel

Net worth: 60 million rubles. The Swedish Nobel family made their fortune in Russia. The Nobel Brothers Oil Production Partnership carried out production in Baku and Turkmenistan. The famous Alfred, the inventor of dynamite, was also a member of it, and the main representative of the family in Russia was his brother Emmanuel.

What did they leave? :

N. Bogdanov-Belsky. Portrait of M.P. Abamelek-Lazareva (Demidova). 1890s. State Hermitage Museum

Houses of Prince Abamelek-Lazarev on the embankment of the Moika River (No. 21–23) in St. Petersburg. Photo: A. Savin / Wikipedia

Villa of Prince Abamelek-Lazarev in Italy. Photo: Dmitry Shuleiko / Wikipedia

5. Morozovs

Ivan Abramovich Morozov

Net worth: more than 44 million rubles. The Old Believer merchant family earned capital from the textile industry and trade.

What was left:

Abram Morozov's wife Varvara founded the Turgenev Library-Reading Room. The art collection of her son, Ivan Morozov, was nationalized by the Bolsheviks and today is kept in the State Museum of Fine Arts named after A. S. Pushkin. His brother Mikhail sponsored the construction of the Greek Hall of the Pushkin Museum. Brothers Savva and Sergei Morozov, together with other merchants, established the Public Theater (the future Moscow Art Theater). The handicraft museum founded by Sergei Timofeevich formed the basis of the All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art. You can continue for a long time. And the huge cycle of family portraits painted by Valentin Serov is remarkable (most of the portraits are kept in the Tretyakov Gallery). The Morozovs owned many houses in Moscow. Of these, the most famous are the Gothic mansion of Zinaida Morozova on Spiridonovka by Shekhtel (now the Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) - a possible prototype of the abode of Bulgakov’s Margarita, and the pseudo-Moorish castle of Arseny Morozov on Vozdvizhenka (Reception House of the Government of the Russian Federation).

Library-reading room named after Turgenev in Moscow

Mansion of Arseny Morozov on Vozdvizhenka in Moscow

The mansion of Zinaida Morozova on Spiridonovka in Moscow. Photo: Alexander Ivanov / “Discover Moscow”

6. Wogau

Maximilian von Wogau

Net worth: 41 million rubles. The German dynasty of entrepreneurs, the Wogau, made a fortune selling tea and was involved in trade, industry and banking.

What was left:

The Vogau family chose the Moscow district of Vorontsovo Pole - the street of the same name was even jokingly called “Vogaustrasse”. Their estate was located here, on the territory of which the Scientific Research Institute of Physics and Chemistry named after L.Ya. Karpova. Nearby is another family mansion, today it houses the Indian Embassy. The Lutheran Waughau family founded the Evangelical Hospital - now the Brain Institute. And Sophia Vogau’s son, Hugo Mark, took part in the construction of the Savyolovsky direction railway, and the Mark platform, next to which the family’s estate was located, was named in his honor. At the German Cemetery in Moscow, the ruins of the Vogau tomb have been preserved - the portico was decorated with a bronze figure of Christ by the Florentine sculptor Raffaello Romanelli (now in the Church-Archaeological Cabinet at the Moscow Theological Academy in Sergiev Posad).

Evangelical Hospital in Moscow (now Brain Research Institute)

The Vogau mansion in Moscow (now the Indian Embassy). Photo: SevenOne / photobank “Lori”

The Vogau estate in Moscow (now the L.Ya. Karpov Institute of Physics and Chemistry). Photo: Alexander Ivanov / “Discover Moscow”

7. Boris Kamenka

Boris Kamenka

Net worth: 40 million rubles. This banker was a member of the board of various railroads, metallurgical plants, and so on. After the revolution, he managed to emigrate and died in France in 1942.

What did you leave? :

Kamenka sponsored the Russian branch of the Jewish Colonization Society, which helped Jews receive technical education and emigrate to the New World or the Holy Land. He was the head of the Azov-Don Bank - in his St. Petersburg building on Bolshaya Morskaya today there is a private Museum of Illusions (House of the Giant). KKamenka was not involved in charity work, but from the surviving works in which his money was invested, one can still recall the houses of the Rossiya insurance company, of which he was one of the board members. This is a building on Lubyanka (later it will be occupied by state security agencies) and a complex on Sretensky Boulevard, where after the revolution the People's Commissariat for Education and the Main Artillery Directorate of the Red Army were located, and later in the attic there were workshops of artists Hulo Sooster and Ilya Kabakov.

Apartment building of the insurance company "Russia" on Sretenka in Moscow

Apartment building of an insurance company on Lubyanka in Moscow. Photo: Wilson44691/Wikipedia

The building of the former Azov-Don Commercial Bank in Moscow. Photo: 1984UPI/Wikipedia

8. Polovtsev

Nadezhda Polovtseva

Net worth: 30 million rubles. Nadezhda Polovtseva and her husband Alexander inherited the huge fortune of the court banker Alexander Stieglitz (Nadezhda's adoptive father) and invested it in mining and banking. Nadezhda is believed to have been the illegitimate daughter of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich - that is, the native niece of Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I, and Stieglitz adopted her on the direct recommendation of the monarch.

What did they leave? :

Nadezhda helped the art school founded by Alexander Stieglitz, the famous “Mukha” (St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and Industry named after A.L. Stieglitz). Her husband was the chairman of the Russian Historical Society and, at his own expense, published the multi-volume Russian Biographical Dictionary, which is still highly valued by historians. Together with Nadezhda, they built a museum at the academy, which still exists today. Polovtsev’s luxurious dacha on Kamenny Island in St. Petersburg, built in the neoclassical style, is today under the jurisdiction of the Presidential Administration. The portrait of the millionaire, painted by the fashionable portraitist Carolus-Durand, is in the Hermitage, and her husband is depicted in Repin’s grandiose group painting “Great Meeting of the State Council” and Kustodiev’s sketch for it.

20. Marshall Field

Marshall Field made his fortune by developing the Marshall Field and Co chain of retail stores in Chicago. The network was founded during the American Civil War. These were the first chain stores where the “customer is always right” rule was elevated to absolute. [C-BLOCK]

Enterprises that serviced the stores were located even in Australia. Field's maximum fortune, according to Peter Bronstein, was $66.1 billion (adjusted for inflation). Field's will was read in court and went down in history as one of the longest (22 thousand words). He appointed two grandchildren as the main heirs.

19. Stephen van Renseller

Runseller inherited his fortune. He was the last representative of the influential family of Dutch "patrons" in the state of New York, which since 1630 owned the largest estate in the Albany area - Rensellerswick.

Runseller was a state senator and then lieutenant governor. In 1824 he founded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The New York Times estimated Runseller's maximum wealth at $68.5 billion.

18. Jay Gould

Jay Gould was called the "robber baron." Gould earned his fortune, which The New York Times experts estimated at $71.2 billion, from railroads and gold speculation. [С-BLOCK] Jay Gould actually made a transport revolution in the USA in the 19th century. With financier James Fisk, he bought enough gold from the market to directly influence that market.

Buffett is an American entrepreneur, the world's largest investor, his fortune as of March 1, 2015 is estimated at $72.7 billion. Known by the nicknames "The Seer", "The Wizard of Omaha" and is the largest philanthropist in human history. The investor promised to give away 99% of his funds.

16. Carlos Slim

Carlos Slim is a Mexican businessman of Arab descent, the son of Maronite immigrants from Lebanon. According to Forbes, Slim was the richest person in the world in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Already in 2008, his fortune was $61.8 billion, in 2013 - $73 billion. Slim's largest source of income is telecommunications companies.

15. Henry Lancaster

An English aristocrat and diplomat, one of the founders of the Order of the Garter, Henry Lancaster inherited his fortune. It was estimated by experts at $77.5 billion. From 1390 to 1392, he led the life of a knight errant in continental Europe and Palestine, including participating in the civil war in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

14. Frederick Weyerhauser

According to Peter Bronstein, Weyerhauser's maximum wealth was $79.4 billion. He can be called the “king of logging.” It was this activity that became his ticket to becoming rich. When Weyerhauser moved from Germany to the United States, he founded one of the largest logging companies there, and by the beginning of the twentieth century he became one of the richest landowners in the country.

13. A. T. Stewart

Stewart made his capital in the retail trade. Economist Peter Rubinstein estimated it at $88.9 billion. Stewart opened his first department store in Manhattan, then significantly expanded the chain.

12. John Gaunt

Founder of the House of Lancaster, to which the English kings Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI belonged. Gaunt, one of the heroes of Shakespeare's works, regent of Richard II, received his fabulous fortune, estimated by historian William Rubinstein at $101 billion, as an inheritance.

11. Stephen Girard

A French-born merchant and banker who was directly involved in saving the U.S. government's economy from financial collapse during the War of 1812, Girard was one of America's richest men. Experts estimate that Stephen was the fourth richest man in American history. His fortune is estimated at $105 billion. Stephen Girard opened his own bank, Girard's Bank, in the United States.

10. Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel

William Rubinstein estimated that the Earl of Arundel's maximum wealth was $108 billion (adjusted for inflation). Sources of income are wars. He fought in the Hundred Years' War and the Scottish Wars of Independence. His fortune was inherited.

9. John Jacob Astor

A Harvard graduate, John Jacob Astor made his fortune ($121 billion) through trading and investing. He began with the fur trade, and in this area by 1900 he had virtually established a monopoly. He then switched to real estate investing, primarily in New York City. Astor is also known as a writer and inventor. Died during the sinking of the Titanic.

8. William de Warenne

The Norman William I de Warenne became a billionaire for his valor. He took part in the Battle of Hastings and was rewarded with possessions in Sussex, Norfolk and Yorkshire, becoming the first Earl of Surrey. [С-BLOCK] Historian William Rubenstein estimates that de Warenne's maximum wealth was $134 billion (adjusted for inflation).

Bill Gates's fortune peaked in 1999 at $136 billion. In the period from 1996 to 2007, in 2009 and in 2015 - the richest person on the planet according to Forbes magazine. His fortune in March 2015, according to Forbes magazine, was estimated at $79.2 billion.

6. Alan Rufus

According to William Rubinstein, Alan Rufus's maximum wealth was $149 billion (adjusted for inflation). [С-BLOCK] He “amassed” his capital through conquests, and was also generously rewarded for his service. The Norman joined William the Conqueror in his invasion of Britain. He later owned 250,000 acres of land (more than 100,000 hectares) from Yorkshire to London. He also owned Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire.

5. Cornelius Vanderbilt

Economist Bernstein estimated the fortune of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt at $185 billion. [С-BLOCK] In 1862, Vanderbilt began buying up railroad lines; in addition, he made large profits from shipping - he leased ships, including to the government during the Civil War. Vanderbilt is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the 19th century, the founder of the plutocratic Vanderbilt dynasty.

In 2012, the American portal Celebrity Net Worth compiled a ranking of the twenty-five richest people of the millennium. In this ranking, Nicholas II was in fifth place in the overall list. Celebrity Net Worth estimated his fortune at $300 billion (in modern money terms). Since the royal family was canonized, Nicholas II is listed in the ranking as “the richest saint.”

Peter Bernstein (Forbes) estimates Carnegie's wealth at $309 billion (adjusted for inflation). [С-BLOCK] Andrew Carnegie was the “king of steel.” He invested in steel production at a time when the market was booming and became the head of the United States Steel corporation.

According to an estimate by economist Peter Bernstein for Forbes magazine, John Rockefeller's fortune was estimated at $336 billion. The main source was oil refineries. In 1870, at age 31, Rockefeller founded Standard Oil. Subsequently, he bought up most of the US oil refineries. And today the Rockefellers control up to 90% of the American oil business.

1. Nathan Rothschild

Nathan Rothschild was the richest man of his time; he supported both Napoleon and his opponents with money in the Napoleonic Wars. According to a well-known legend, Rothschild earned 40 million pounds sterling in 24 hours from misinformation about Napoleon’s victory at the Battle of Waterloo alone. In 1816, England demonetized silver and adopted the gold standard. By this time, the Rothschilds controlled a significant part of the gold reserves and fixed its price. [C-BLOCK]

Today, the Rothschilds' fortune is estimated by experts at $350 billion, but some experts talk about $1 trillion in family assets.

Most people strive for wealth in one way or another, and rightly so - who in our modern world doesn’t like to live in grand style and not deny themselves anything? But the people discussed below do not dream of wealth; they are already fabulously rich. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the TOP of the richest people on this planet.

The richest people in the world - TOP 10

Prestigious financial and economic magazine Forbes recently published a world ranking of the richest people in the world, which is published annually.

In one year, the number of rich people increased by 13%. Their earnings are increasing every day, and their total wealth has grown to $7.67 trillion.

Who are they - the wealthiest people on this planet, and who is the richest person in the world?

1. Bill Gates. This is not the first year in a row that Bill has been number one on the list of the world's richest people. About 40 years ago, together with his friend Paul Allen, Bill founded the Microsoft Corporation, which became the starting point in the successful career of a billionaire. In 2017, the businessman’s fortune increased to $86 billion.
2. . An investor who began investing as a child, borrowing money from his father. His first purchase was shares of Cities Service Preferred, purchased for $38 and sold for $40. Warren currently invests in Wells Fargo, IBM and , and his net worth is approx. $75.6 billion.
3. Jeff Bezos. Another billionaire who is among the top richest people in the world. His financial situation is $72.8 billion. Jeff made the list due to the sudden rise in shares of the company he founded, and this helped the owner to rank third in the ranking. His business started with a simple desire - at the very beginning, Jeff just wanted to sell people books online.
4. Amancio Ortega. One of the richest retailers in the whole world, who made a fortune from the company Zara, which he created in 1975 in a team with his deceased wife Rosalia Mera. Gradually, the clothing brand gained popularity around the world. Ortega is currently investing in real estate. His earnings are $71.3 billion.
5. Mark Zuckerberg. The hero of instructive stories and films, as well as the creator of the social network. In order to do what he loved, Mark left Harvard, but this did not stop him from making a huge fortune in $56 billion. His company's shares continue to rise and bring him additional income.
6. Carlos Slim Helu. The richest person of Mexican descent. Carlos is the owner of the company America Movil, which provides communications services in Latin America, he also owns shares in various Mexican corporations and a 17% stake in the American newspaper The New York Times. General financial condition – $54.5 billion.
7. Larry Ellison. In his youth, Larry managed to study at two universities and even contact the CIA, but true success came to him after creating the company Oracle, the second largest software maker by revenue after . Recently, the corporation has been developing cloud technologies. Larry's capital reaches $52.2 billion.
8. Charles Koch. Owner of earned funds $48.3 billion, one of the owners of the holding Koch Industries(the second owner is his brother David). The company is engaged in oil refining. The father of the brothers, who are among the most influential figures in the world of politics, business and philanthropy, created the first plant in 1940.
9. David Koch. Second owner of the family holding Koch Industries. His condition is assessed in the same way as his brother’s – $48.3 billion. David and Charles are actively involved in charity work and support the educational sector. For example, they once gave a grant to a fund that helped black students.
10. Michael Bloomberg. A Wall Street careerist, successful entrepreneur and former head of the city of New York, owner of a company that searches financial information for clients. Michael is a generous philanthropist who has donated more than $4 billion. The businessman's fortune is estimated at $47.5 billion.

The richest people in Russia - TOP 10

The Russian economy is gradually stabilizing, everything in the financial world is returning to normal, oil prices are rising, and Russian billionaires and millionaires continue to get richer. Rating " Forbes"published a new list of the richest people in the world, but did not forget about the richest people in our country.

1. Leonid Mikhelson. Tops all official and unofficial lists. Businessman, shareholder of a gas company, as well as an investor in the Sibur company. His condition is estimated at approximately $18.4 billion- this is the largest figure in the Forbes ranking among Russian rich people. Leonid sponsors art exhibitions and collects various art objects.
2. Alexey Mordashov. Alexey has a fortune of $17.5 billion. He is a member of many prestigious companies: Russian Steel, as well as the World Steel Association. He has an online grocery store, has shares in the major travel operator TUI, and is interested in poetry, art and sports.
3. Vladimir Lisin. Vladimir owns shares in the company " Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works", he also owns an international transport group Universal Cargo Logistics Holding B.V.. But Vladimir is not only interested in business: the businessman built a large shooting center “Fox Hole” near Moscow. Vladimir's condition – $16.1 billion.
4. Gennady Timchenko. Also included in the list of the 100 richest people in the world. Earnings at the moment are $16 billion. Second owner Gunvor Group, one of the world's largest commodity traders, currently holds shares in Sibur, Transoil and Stroytransgaz. According to American authorities, Gennady is a close friend of Putin.
5. Alisher Usmanov. Businessman with a fortune in $15.2 billion, and every year this figure continues to increase. He is the owner of a vast business empire and is recognized as one of the most influential people in the world according to Forbes. Owns a metallurgical company Metalloinvest", the country's second largest mobile operator " Megaphone" and the journalistic enterprise " Kommersant».
6. Vagit Alekperov. In possession is $14.5 billion. The head of the Corporation, which is the largest independent oil production company in the country. Vagit also wrote and published the book “Russian Oil: Past, Present and Future” and created the “Our Future” social fund, which supports active citizens in the field of social entrepreneurship.
7. Mikhail Fridman. Member of the board of Alfa Group, one of the managers of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. The founder of the company LetterOne Holdings S.A (L1), which is engaged in foreign projects in the oil and gas sector. This company created its own investment business L1 Health (shares in medicine). State - $14.4 billion.
8. Vladimir Potanin. In eighth place is the owner of the Interros management company, general director and member of the board of trustees of the Hermitage Museum with a fortune of $14.3 billion. Enlisted the support of the government and became the largest investor in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, building the Rosa Khutor ski complex.
9. Andrey Melnichenko. State - $13.2 billion. One of the richest people in Russia according to Forbes. Owns assets of major enterprises, including a mineral production company, a coal corporation and an electric power company. One of the founders of MDM Bank, a large industrial empire was built on its basis.
10. Victor Vekselberg. Made a fortune the size of $12.4 billion. He is the President of the Foundation Skolkovo", as well as the chairman of the board of directors of the Renova group of companies. Owns shares of the aluminum company UC Rusal, a Swiss company leader in the semiconductor technology market Oerlikon, as well as an international industrial company Sulzer.

TOP richest people in history

Today's entrepreneurs have earnings in the billions, and sometimes the stories of the world's richest people show that the path to the top can begin with a simple accident. But not only modern people are lucky with money - history knows many examples of achieving fabulous wealth, which repeatedly exceed the successes of modern rich people.

1. John Rockefeller. Perhaps the most famous rich man in the whole world. His condition was assessed at $318 billion– this is several times more than that of the richest man in the modern world, Bill Gates. He is the creator of the Standard Oil company, thanks to which he received his recognition and wealth. In 1880, Rockefeller held about 95% of America's oil production in his hands.
2. Andrew Carnegie. A smart entrepreneur from America, whose fortune reached $310 billion. With a loan taken out in his youth, Andrew bought shares in the Adams Express company, which began to generate good income. It is the largest manufacturer of steel and iron in America. His enterprises Carnegie Steel Company and U.S. Steel turned him into a dollar millionaire.
3. Nicholas II. If recalculated in modern money, the Emperor's fortune would reach $253 billion. All the wealth was received by Nicholas as an inheritance from his father. There is no reliable information about whether the Emperor was engaged in increasing his wealth, but the fact remains that Nicholas entered the list of the richest people in the world in the history of mankind.
4. William Henry Vanderbilt. A capitalist living in the 19th century and having a fortune in $232 billion. After the death of his father, William received about 90 billion, but in the end he more than doubled it. He owned a railway company and was considered during his life to be the richest man in the world.
5. Osman Ali Khan. Ali Khan was born in India, had the title of prince and had a fortune in $211 billion. But not only did Osman inherit the throne from his father, but also his entrepreneurial spirit - he was a global monopolist in the supply of diamonds. In the mid-20th century, its budget was estimated at $2 million (at that time), which was about 2% of America's GDP.
6. Andrew Mellon. American-born bank employee. He decided to follow the path of his father, also a banker. At the age of 17, he founded his own logging company, after which he assumed the position of bank manager. At one time he served as America's Secretary of the Treasury, as well as the post of America's Ambassador to Great Britain. His condition is $189 billion.
7. Henry Ford. Car king having approx. $188 billion(translated into a modern course). He began his career at the age of 16 as a mechanical engineer, and ended with the founding of his own company, Ford Motor Company. Ford established full production of cars, from the extraction of materials to the production of finished models. To this day, his cars are popular among consumers.
8. Marcus Licinius Crassus. A commander from the Ancient World who lived in 115-53 BC. Mark bought houses after fires, restored them and sold them for more money, which is how he built his business. There were rumors that Mark deliberately burned houses in search of profit. The commander was also involved in human trafficking, searching and mining of silver. Mark's condition – $170 billion.
9. Basil II. The fortune of the Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian family totals $169 billion. There is practically no information about this ruler. History only knows that Basil expanded the territory of Byzantium and annexed neighboring lands to it. Unfortunately, he was never able to strengthen them - after his death the empire did not survive long.
10. Cornelius Vanderbilt. Another rich man with an interesting story. The net worth of the American entrepreneur is $167 billion. Cornelius dropped out of school in the 4th grade out of his own conviction, borrowed $100 from his mother and bought a boat on which he transported people. A year later he already had a capital of $1000 and then he was nicknamed Captain. Then he bought other ships, and soon he had a real flotilla. At 23, he headed the largest intercontinental shipping company in America. Cornelius was also involved in the railroad business.

The richest people in Russia and the world are annually included in unofficial rankings and elite lists of Forbes magazine. What is the secret of their success - entrepreneurship, perseverance or simple luck and fortune? Unfortunately, there is no answer to this question - everyone has their own path, from work to genius.

Why are people interested in each other's financial status? It seems to us that there are several reasons. Firstly, when we read the biography of a successful businessman, each of us involuntarily tries on his stages of growth for ourselves, answering the questions of whether I can be as successful as that businessman, what am I successful at and what are my mistakes. Secondly, the very fact that we somehow, at least in our thoughts, touch the “money bag” of a successful businessman is positive, thereby affirming that we will also have financial well-being in our lives. Recently, on social networks you can often see a photo with a large mass of money in large denominations and with a call to publish it on your page in the hope of financial success.

Who are they, the rich people of the 20th and 21st centuries, and why did they achieve such success? Here is a list of them. Let’s say right away that this list is constantly changing, and it is difficult to determine the true state of affairs where “very big money” is found. For example, the Morgan family is successful in the banking industry, but each individual member of its family may not make it onto this list. So….

John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937, net worth: $323.4 billion) - the first American billionaire. He succeeded in the oil industry and trade, leaving his competitors far behind, and was even accused of unbridled monopolization of this area of ​​​​the market, but even today his name is associated with a huge “money bag”.

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919, net worth: $297.8 billion) is a classic example of how a person from a poor family, working hard since childhood, can forge his dream. He created his own business in the steel industry, successfully investing money in one or another enterprise.

Bill Gates (b. 1955, maximum net worth: $124 billion) is a billionaire whose fortune is difficult to determine, since he has recently invested almost half of his fortune in charity. Bill Gates achieved his success in the field of personal computer software development.

Frederick Weyerhauser (1834-1914, net worth: $76.5 billion) is a “guru” in the field of timber construction, since he, having founded a timber processing company, cut down almost half of all US forests, thereby creating favorable conditions for the development of farming.

Marshall Field (1834-1906, net worth: $63.7 billion) is the first billionaire to create his own successful enterprise on the principle “The customer is always right.” It was thanks to this person that the buyer could return or exchange low-quality goods. It was he who introduced price tags on goods and built the first department stores.

Sam Walton (1918-1992, net worth: $62.1 billion). Founder of the Wal-Mart supermarket chain. The businessman pursued a successful marketing policy, offering customers a large assortment of necessary and desired goods at a time convenient for them.

Warren Buffett (born 1930, net worth: $62 billion) is an extraordinary and talented billionaire who has thrived in a downturn in the overall economy. Success is based on skillful anticipation of economic and political events in the country.

Carlos Slim Helu (born in 1940, net worth: $60 billion) is a Mexican billionaire who built his own enterprise in the country in the field of communications. He is the owner of approximately 200 companies involved in telecommunications, transport and trade. His record is that he earned $27 million in a day.

So, the ranking of the main rich people in the history of mankind. As world experience shows, it is most profitable to engage in industry, oil, wars, and recently also IT. Also, I think it will be interesting to know that our compatriot, Russian, became 4th among all the rich people in the world, ahead of all living crazes, including Carlos Slim and Bill Gates.

20. Marshall Field

Marshall Field made his fortune by developing a chain of retail stores, Marshall Field and Co., in Chicago. The network was founded during the American Civil War. These were the first chain stores where the “customer is always right” rule was elevated to absolute. Enterprises servicing the stores were located even in Australia.

Field's maximum fortune, according to Peter Bronstein, was $66.1 billion (adjusted for inflation). Field's will was read in court and went down in history as one of the longest (22 thousand words). He appointed two grandchildren as the main heirs.

19. Stephen van Renseller

Runseller inherited his fortune. He was the last representative of the influential family of Dutch "patrons" in the state of New York, which since 1630 owned the largest estate in the Albany area - Rensellerswick. Runseller was a state senator and then lieutenant governor. In 1824 he founded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The New York Times estimated Runseller's maximum wealth at $68.5 billion.

18. Jay Gould


Jay Gould was called the "robber baron." Gould earned his fortune, which The New York Times experts estimated at $71.2 billion, from railroads and gold speculation. Jay Gould actually carried out a transport revolution in the USA in the 19th century. With financier James Fisk, he bought enough gold from the market to directly influence that market.

17. Warren Buffett


Buffett is an American entrepreneur, the world's largest investor, his fortune as of March 1, 2015 is estimated at $72.7 billion. Known by the nicknames "The Seer", "The Wizard of Omaha" and is the largest philanthropist in human history. The investor promised to give away 99% of his funds.

16. Carlos Slim

Carlos Slim is a Mexican businessman of Arab origin, the son of Maronite emigrants from Lebanon. According to Forbes, Slim was the richest person in the world in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Already in 2008, his fortune was $61.8 billion, in 2013 - $73 billion. Slim's largest source of income is telecommunications companies.

15. Henry Lancaster

An English aristocrat and diplomat, one of the founders of the Order of the Garter, Henry Lancaster inherited his fortune. It was estimated by experts at $77.5 billion. From 1390 to 1392, he led the life of a knight errant in continental Europe and Palestine, including participating in the civil war in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

14. Frederick Weyerhauser


According to Peter Bronstein, Weyerhauser's maximum wealth was $79.4 billion. He can be called the “king of logging.” It was this activity that became his ticket to becoming rich. When Weyerhauser moved from Germany to the United States, he founded one of the largest logging companies there, and by the beginning of the twentieth century he became one of the richest landowners in the country.

13. A. T. Stewart


Stewart made his capital in the retail trade. Economist Peter Rubinstein estimated it at $88.9 billion. Stewart opened his first department store in Manhattan, then significantly expanded the chain.

12. John Gaunt


Founder of the House of Lancaster, to which the English kings Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI belonged. Gaunt, one of the heroes of Shakespeare's works, regent of Richard II, received his fabulous fortune, estimated by historian William Rubinstein at $101 billion, as an inheritance.

11. Stephen Girard


A French-born merchant and banker who was directly involved in saving the U.S. government's economy from financial collapse during the War of 1812, Girard was one of America's richest men. Experts estimate that Stephen was the fourth richest man in American history. His fortune is estimated at $105 billion. Stephen Girard opened his own bank, Girard's Bank, in the United States.

10. Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel


William Rubinstein estimated that the Earl of Arundel's maximum wealth was $108 billion (adjusted for inflation). Sources of income are wars. He fought in the Hundred Years' War and the Scottish Wars of Independence. His fortune was inherited.

9. John Jacob Astor


A Harvard graduate, John Jacob Astor made his $121 billion fortune through trading and investing. He began with the fur trade, and in this area by 1900 he had virtually established a monopoly. He then switched to real estate investing, primarily in New York City. Astor is also known as a writer and inventor. Died during the sinking of the Titanic.

8. William de Warenne

The Norman William I de Warenne became a billionaire for his valor. He took part in the Battle of Hastings and was rewarded with possessions in Sussex, Norfolk and Yorkshire, becoming the first Earl of Surrey. Historian William Rubenstein estimates that de Warenne's maximum wealth was $134 billion (adjusted for inflation).

7. Bill Gates


Bill Gates's fortune peaked in 1999 at $136 billion. In the period from 1996 to 2007, in 2009 and in 2015 - the richest person on the planet according to Forbes magazine. His fortune in March 2015, according to Forbes magazine, was estimated at $79.2 billion.

6. Alan Rufus

According to William Rubinstein, Alan Rufus's maximum wealth was $149 billion (adjusted for inflation). He “made his capital” through conquests, and was also generously rewarded for his service. The Norman joined William the Conqueror in his invasion of Britain. He later owned 250,000 acres of land (more than 100,000 hectares) from Yorkshire to London. He also owned Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire.

5. Cornelius Vanderbilt


Economist Bernstein estimated the fortune of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt at $185 billion. In 1862, Vanderbilt began buying up railroad lines, and he also made large profits from shipping by leasing ships, including to the government during the Civil War. Vanderbilt is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the 19th century, the founder of the plutocratic Vanderbilt dynasty.

4. Nicholas II


In 2012, the American portal Celebrity Net Worth compiled a ranking of the twenty-five richest people of the millennium. In this ranking, Nicholas II was in fifth place in the overall list. Celebrity Net Worth estimated his fortune at $300 billion (in modern money terms). Since the royal family was canonized, Nicholas II is listed in the ranking as “the richest saint.”

3. Andrew Carnegie


Peter Bernstein (Forbes) estimates Carnegie's wealth at $309 billion (adjusted for inflation). Andrew Carnegie was the "Steel King". He invested in steel production at a time when the market was booming and became the head of the United States Steel corporation.

2. John Rockefeller


According to an estimate by economist Peter Bernstein for Forbes magazine, John Rockefeller's fortune was estimated at $336 billion. The main source was oil refineries. In 1870, at age 31, Rockefeller founded Standard Oil. Subsequently, he bought up most of the US oil refineries. And today the Rockefellers control up to 90% of the American oil business.

1. Nathan Rothschild


Nathan Rothschild was the richest man of his time; he supported both Napoleon and his opponents with money in the Napoleonic Wars. According to a well-known legend, Rothschild earned 40 million pounds sterling in 24 hours from misinformation about Napoleon’s victory at the Battle of Waterloo alone.

In 1816, England demonetized silver and adopted the gold standard. By this time, the Rothschilds controlled a significant part of the gold reserves and fixed its price. Today, the Rothschilds' fortune is estimated by experts at $350 billion, but some experts talk about $1 trillion in family assets.