Who became the largest single private shareholder of Royal Dutch in 1913?

• A. Rothschild
• B. Rockefeller
• C. Nobel Brothers
• D. Morgan

Answer: (A)

In this period, big oil groups were often controlled by finance and aristocratic families who could supply capital and influence governance. The Rothschilds, already a dominant European banking dynasty, built a substantial stake in Royal Dutch by 1913 and became its largest single private shareholder. This position reflected their strategy of shaping major industries through cross-border investments and strong financial backing, giving them real influence over the company’s direction. The other names were influential in oil or finance but did not hold that top private stake in Royal Dutch at that time—Rockefeller led Standard Oil in the U.S., Nobel Brothers were involved in other oil ventures, and Morgan’s financial power didn’t translate into the top private ownership in Royal Dutch in 1913.