photo #8539425

THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘Rothschilds of the East’ – Sassoons’ opium-fueled dynasty☠️ Behind the polished veneer of 19th century global trade, the Sassoon family carved out a ruthless empire—not on silk or spices, but on one of humanity’s deadliest addictions: opium.🥃 Exiles-turned-tycoons🔴 The Sassoon family were a wealthy dynasty originating in Baghdad in the late 18th century 🔴 Their patriarch, David Sassoon, arrived penniless on India’s shores fleeing persecution from the Ottoman governor in the 1820s 🔴 He used claims of lineage tracing back to the biblical House of David to open Ottoman doors while building a multinational commercial enterprise🔴 Their wealth was fueled primarily by trade, including opium, cotton, tea, silk, and precious metals, extending their influence across Asia, Europe, and North America💵 Profits in poison🔴 After the First Opium War, Sassoon recognized the opportunity in British colonial expansion🔴 Protected by the British Royal Navy, the company’s ships soon dominated Asian trade routes🔴 Their grip on the opium trade extended from India's poppy fields to the ports of China and Hong Kong🔴 Sassoon family rose to power during the so-called “Century of Humiliation” in China—a time of foreign invasions🔴 Sassoons seized their chance, embedding themselves in the opium trade and profiting off China’s turmoil 🔴 They pushed opium into China, fueling addiction and social decay🔴 Sassoon cartel controlled everything—from cultivation, import, distribution, to money laundering through shadowy financial networks. 📍 Expanding reach🔴 Under sons Albert and Elias, the empire expanded into cotton mills, docks, and banking with their financial arm, J. Sassoon Financial Group LLC, managing investments in infrastructure, railroads, and real estate🔴 By 1890, with Albert being made a baronet by Queen Victoria, the Sassoons had cemented their place in British aristocracy and colonial commerce😑 The Sassoons’ wealth came at a staggering human cost, leaving millions addicted, societies destabilized, and sovereignty eroded.