Samuel Oppenheimer
Encyclopedia
Samuel Oppenheimer was a Jewish banker, imperial court diplomat, factor
, and military supplier for the Holy Roman Emperor
. He enjoyed special favor of Emperor Leopold I
, to whom he advanced considerable sums of money for the Great Turkish War
. Prince Eugene of Savoy
brought him a large number of valuable Hebrew manuscripts from Turkey, which became the nucleus of the famous David Oppenheimer
Library, now comprised in the Bodleian Library
at Oxford.
Although the Jews
had been recently expelled from Vienna in 1670, the emperor permitted Oppenheimer to settle there, together with his "Gesinde", his followers, who included a number of Jewish families. He even received the privilege of building a mansion in the heart of Vienna
. He was appointed "Oberfaktor" and court Jew
at the recommendation of Margrave Ludwig
of Baden
, the imperial general in Hungary
, to whom he had advanced 100,000 gulden
for war expenses. He also enabled Prince Eugene to provide medical attendance for the army during the Turkish war. About the year 1700, a riot broke out, possibly sanctioned by the royal court, to persuade Oppenheimer to relieve the court's debt. During the riot, houses were sacked and property looted, including Oppenheimer's. As a result, one man was hanged for sacking Oppenheimer's house and others were imprisoned for participating in the disturbance.
During the Eisenmenger
controversy, Oppenheimer took steps to suppress the former's "Entdecktes Judenthum", spending large sums of money to win the court and the Jesuits to the side of the Jews. As a result, an imperial edict was issued forbidding the circulation of Eisenmenger's work. Oppenheimer was employed also by the emperor in political missions which were often of a delicate nature.
Factor (agent)
A factor, from the Latin "he who does" , is a person who professionally acts as the representative of another individual or other legal entity, historically with his seat at a factory , notably in the following contexts:-Mercantile factor:In a relatively large company, there could be a hierarchy,...
, and military supplier for the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
. He enjoyed special favor of Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
, to whom he advanced considerable sums of money for the Great Turkish War
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
. Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
brought him a large number of valuable Hebrew manuscripts from Turkey, which became the nucleus of the famous David Oppenheimer
David Oppenheimer
David Oppenheimer was a successful entrepreneur, the second mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, and a National Historic Person of Canada.-Early life:...
Library, now comprised in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
at Oxford.
Although the Jews
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
had been recently expelled from Vienna in 1670, the emperor permitted Oppenheimer to settle there, together with his "Gesinde", his followers, who included a number of Jewish families. He even received the privilege of building a mansion in the heart of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He was appointed "Oberfaktor" and court Jew
Court Jew
Court Jew is a term, typically applied to the Early Modern period, for historical Jewish bankers who handled the finances of, or lent money to, European royalty and nobility....
at the recommendation of Margrave Ludwig
Ludwig
Ludwig may refer to:* Ludwig , a German name* Ludwig , a German surname* Ludwig , a 1972 film by Luchino Visconti about Ludwig II of Bavaria* Ludwig , a 1977 animated children's series...
of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, the imperial general in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, to whom he had advanced 100,000 gulden
South German gulden
The Gulden was the currency of the states of southern Germany between 1754 and 1873. These states included Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Frankfurt and Hohenzollern....
for war expenses. He also enabled Prince Eugene to provide medical attendance for the army during the Turkish war. About the year 1700, a riot broke out, possibly sanctioned by the royal court, to persuade Oppenheimer to relieve the court's debt. During the riot, houses were sacked and property looted, including Oppenheimer's. As a result, one man was hanged for sacking Oppenheimer's house and others were imprisoned for participating in the disturbance.
During the Eisenmenger
Johann Andreas Eisenmenger
Johann Andreas Eisenmenger was a German Orientalist, now best known as the author of the anti-Semitic polemic, Entdecktes Judenthum .-Studies rabbinical literature:...
controversy, Oppenheimer took steps to suppress the former's "Entdecktes Judenthum", spending large sums of money to win the court and the Jesuits to the side of the Jews. As a result, an imperial edict was issued forbidding the circulation of Eisenmenger's work. Oppenheimer was employed also by the emperor in political missions which were often of a delicate nature.