WEALTHY GERMAN FAMILY. CHAP. XVI. 



a capital, then deemed enormous for a trader, 

 amounting to three thousand gulden 1 . 



His descendants were skilful, industrious, 

 economical, and upright, and they in the course 

 of a few generations established banking, mer- 

 cantile, and mining transactions through almost 

 every part of the continent of Europe. They 

 served the house of Austria, and contributed 

 more to its exaltation than all the nobility of their 

 dominions. The Emperor Maximilian drew large 

 pecuniary assistance from them on the security 

 of the earldom of Kerchberg and the barony of 

 Weisenhorn, which were mortgaged for seventy 

 thousand guldens. They were enabled, in 1509, 

 at two months' notice, to furnish the emperor with 

 one hundred and seventy thousand ducats, on the 

 security of Pope Julius II. and of the kings of France 

 and Spain, and thus enabled that prince to put his 

 army in motion against the republic of Vepice. 



At the assembling of the States of Germany in 

 1530, the emperor, Charles V., lived in the mag- 

 nificent house of Anthony Fugger in Augsburg, 

 and that lofty Spaniard allowed his host access 

 to him at all times. By the pecuniary aid of him 

 and his brother, Charles was enabled to equip 

 that expedition against Algiers which terminated 



1 There was in that age a gold coin denominated lubische 

 gulden, and worth about seven shillings and sixpence in 

 money of the present day; after 1535 they were scarce, and 

 worth only two shillings. 



