The Richest Man Who Ever Lived
The Life and Times of Jacob Fugger
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Narrated by:
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Norman Dietz
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By:
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Greg Steinmetz
About this listen
Jacob Fugger lived in Germany at the turn of the 16th century, the grandson of a peasant. By the time he died, his fortune amounted to nearly 2 percent of European GDP. Not even John D. Rockefeller had that kind of wealth.
Most people become rich by spotting opportunities, pioneering new technologies, or besting opponents in negotiations. Fugger did all that, but he had an extra quality that allowed him to rise even higher: nerve. In an era when kings had unlimited power, Fugger had the nerve to stare down heads of state and ask them to pay back their loans - with interest. It was this coolness and self-assurance, along with his inexhaustible ambition, that made him not only the richest man ever but a force of history as well. Fugger helped trigger the Reformation and likely funded Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe.
The ultimate untold story, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived is more than a tale about the richest and most influential businessman of all time. It is a story about palace intrigue, knights in battle, family tragedy and triumph, and a violent clash between the 1 percent and everybody else.
©2015 Greg Steinmetz (P)2015 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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This enthralling book charts the family's huge influence on the political, economic, and cultural history of Florence. Beginning in the early 1430s with the rise of the dynasty under the near-legendary Cosimo de Medici, it moves through their golden era as patrons of some of the most remarkable artists and architects of the Renaissance, to the era of the Medici Popes and Grand Dukes, Florence's slide into decay and bankruptcy, and the end, in 1737, of the Medici line.
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Laundry list of names
- By Elizabeth W on 01-02-17
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The Edge of the World
- A Cultural History of the North Sea and the Transformation of Europe
- By: Michael Pye
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Saints and spies, pirates and philosophers, artists and intellectuals: They all crisscrossed the grey North Sea in the so-called "dark ages", the years between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of Europe's mastery over the oceans. Now the critically acclaimed Michael Pye reveals the cultural transformation sparked by those men and women: the ideas, technology, science, law, and moral codes that helped create our modern world.
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Super enjoyable
- By beakt on 10-01-19
By: Michael Pye
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Edward III
- The Perfect King
- By: Ian Mortimer
- Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
- Length: 19 hrs and 32 mins
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Holding power for over 50 years starting in 1327, Edward III was one of England's most influential kings and one who shaped the course of English history. Revered as one of the country's most illustrious leaders for centuries, he was also a usurper and a warmonger who ordered his uncle beheaded. A brutal man, to be sure, but also a brilliant one.
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Great book about Edward III
- By Kiesha on 07-05-16
By: Ian Mortimer
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Winter King
- The Dawn of Tudor England
- By: Thomas Penn
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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A fresh look at the endlessly fascinating Tudors - the dramatic and overlooked story of Henry VII and his founding of the Tudor Dynasty - filled with spies, plots, counter-plots, and an uneasy royal succession to Henry VIII. Near the turn of the sixteenth century, England had been ravaged for decades by conspiracy and civil war. Henry Tudor clambered to the top of the heap, a fugitive with a flimsy claim to England’s crown who managed to win the throne and stay on it for 24 years.
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Excellent portrayal of a man and his time
- By E. Stein on 06-09-12
By: Thomas Penn
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Elizabeth
- The Forgotten Years
- By: John Guy
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings
- Length: 17 hrs and 15 mins
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Elizabeth was crowned at 25 after a tempestuous childhood as a bastard and an outcast, but it was only when she reached 50 and all hopes of a royal marriage were dashed that she began to wield real power in her own right. For 25 years she had struggled to assert her authority over advisers who pressed her to marry and settle the succession; now, she was determined not only to reign but also to rule.
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worth the credit
- By Lesley on 04-19-17
By: John Guy
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Isabella
- The Warrior Queen
- By: Kirstin Downey
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 21 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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An engrossing and revolutionary biography of Isabella of Castile, the controversial Queen of Spain who sponsored Christopher Columbus's journey to the New World, established the Spanish Inquisition, and became one of the most influential female rulers in history.
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Poorly narrated
- By Amazon Customer on 02-23-15
By: Kirstin Downey
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The Borgias
- The Hidden History
- By: G. J. Meyer
- Narrated by: Enn Reitel
- Length: 19 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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The startling truth behind one of the most notorious dynasties in history is revealed in a remarkable new account by the acclaimed author of The Tudors and A World Undone. Sweeping aside the gossip, slander, and distortion that have shrouded the Borgias for centuries, G. J. Meyer offers an unprecedented portrait of the infamous Renaissance family and their storied milieu.
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Marvelous !
- By Cinders on 08-02-13
By: G. J. Meyer
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French Revolution
- A Captivating Guide to the French Revolution, the Life of Marie Antoinette and the Impact Made by Napoleon Bonaparte
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman, Duke Holm
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
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Listen to this audiobook now if you want to learn more about the French Revolution! Includes two audiobooks in one.
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A worthy read!
- By ThomasP on 05-16-20
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Sicily: Three Thousand Years of Human History
- By: Sandra Benjamin
- Narrated by: Fred Filbrich
- Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Emigration of people from Sicily often overshadows the importance of the people who immigrated to the island through the centuries. These have included several who became Sicily's rulers, along with Jews, Ligurians, and Albanians. Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Goths, Byzantines, Muslims, Normans, Hohenstaufens, Spaniards, Bourbons, the Savoy Kingdom of Italy and the modern era have all held sway, and left lasting influences on the island's culture and architecture.
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Surprisingly compelling!
- By P. Strayer on 08-25-12
By: Sandra Benjamin
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The House of Rothschild, Volume 1
- Money's Prophets: 1798-1848
- By: Niall Ferguson
- Narrated by: Alexander Adams
- Length: 28 hrs and 11 mins
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In his rich and nuanced portrait of the remarkable, elusive Rothschild family, Niall Ferguson uncovers the secrets behind the family's phenomenal economic success. He reveals for the first time the details of the family's vast political network, which gave it access to and influence over many of the greatest statesmen of the age. And he tells a family saga, tracing the importance of unity and the profound role of Judaism in the lives of a dynasty that rose from the confines of the Frankfurt ghetto and later used its influence to assist oppressed Jews throughout Europe.
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Great research, poor narrative
- By Amaze on 04-30-19
By: Niall Ferguson
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What listeners say about The Richest Man Who Ever Lived
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- RBX
- 05-01-17
meh
could have been so great but the writing wasn't clear and the story didn't seem to follow a timeline
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- David Parra
- 05-06-16
Un interesante vistazo a la historia europea
Leer este libro te da un interesante vistazo a la vida en Europa en el Renacimiento y como Jacob Fugger forjó la mas grande fortuna de su tiempo y probablemente de la historia, además de su gran influencia en las cortes europeas, dejando una huella en el mundo de los negociad y las finanzas que perdura hasta hoy.
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- Ron Milts
- 02-12-21
Very interesting
I really enjoyed this book at all that you told about financing in the people involved in it.
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- STEVEN K.
- 02-05-18
Great subject, descent writing, mediocre reading
Great subject, descent writing, mediocre reading. It is interesting and worth the time, but I would have died if I had listened at normal speed.
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3 people found this helpful
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- "quality_books_cheap"
- 04-08-24
Interesting but Flawed
The Fugger story is interesting and it’s worth the listen.
However, the book repeats several historical myths: the Rothschild family did NOT make their fortune by knowing faster than others about Waterloo. That’s a myth. They made their fortune initially by contraband, breaking restrictions imposed by Napoleon. Waterloo was actually bad for their business.
Similarly, Luther likely did NOT say “Here I stand, I can do no other.”
So the book is not one with deep riguros research; so it could contain myths.
But you can check those in further reading. The book is still informative and entertaining in parts.
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- Matthew Morris McCormick
- 11-28-15
Narration is Boring
Is there anything you would change about this book?
The narrator
Would you be willing to try another one of Norman Dietz’s performances?
I would give him a second, or even third chance, but if his narrations are as dry, monotonal, and unemotional as this one, No.
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4 people found this helpful
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- DM
- 03-03-22
the biggest back room dealer of the middle ages
most of the world has never hear of this guy, but history happened because of him.
brilliant before his time. shrewd and cunning, wealthier than kings. amazing man. great read, enjoy
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- Pain MD
- 04-09-21
An excellent History of hey man most people don’t know
This historical account is packed with a lot of information and may be worth re-reading again. There are a lot of similarities with today’s current events bringing perspective to how we got to where we are today. Definitely a great read for anyone interested in free market and banking.
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- Cathryn J. Walker
- 04-07-16
Good overall
I enjoyed this book. If you like history, especially regarding Europe in the 16th century, you will like this book. If you like business, businessmen, or stories involving getting money; you will like this book. The narrator was quite good, if a bit monotonous every once in a while. I would certainly recommend buying this audiobook.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Mark A. Desjardins
- 03-02-19
WONDERFUL
Most people wouldn’t believe how many important events of the 16th century in Europe and elsewhere for that matter would never have happened or at least not in quite the same way without Jacob Fugger! This is truly a great read and his story a great surprise!
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