4. A Great Modern Capitalist: Jakob Fugger

This chapter looks into the life of Jakob Fugger (1453–1525), a major German merchant and financier, epitome of the entrepreneur of early emerging capitalism. Stemming from a family of artisans and merchants, Jakob Fugger was the head of a dynasty of financiers who featured prominently in the economic life of Europe of those years. His life unfolded during a turbulent time for Europe, immersed in globalisation (the first round-the-world journey), the Reformation and financing of the election of the German Emperor. Fugger took a hands-on part in all these epoch-making events, through his business interests like mining, international trading and, above all, the financing of kings, popes and emperors. Some regard him as the world’s first millionaire, the richest of his time.