George Francis Rothschild

George Francis Rothschild, 1st Duke of Nieuwvaalia, 1st Count of Rothstein, 9th Baron Rothschild of Rothstein, 28th of Hertford, 32nd of Waidhofen KCMT PC (7 January 3205 – 17 July 3286) was a Terran Spacer politician, nobleman, businessman, and civil servant who was a major figure of the National Humanist Imperial Labor Party in the Late Empire period and in the first government of the Central Galactic Union.
Born on Rothstein to the illustrious and noble House of Rothschild, he became a regional National Humanist potentate in the Inner Colonies Province and held various local government posts. He and his father helped further the careers of fellow spacer National Humanists, such as Shannon McGrady. From 3252 until the dissolution of the Empire in 3275, he served in the Imperial Parliament. After human unification, he retired from parliamentary politics to focus on governing the planet Nieuwvaalia and participating in the national administration. He served as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs from 3260 until his death, both in the Imperial government and in the government of the new Republic. He was considered an expert on galactic international affairs, and was seen as an invaluable advisor to the incumbent Foreign Ministers.
== Early life and education ==
George Francis Rothschild was born to Seth James Rothschild and Miriam Mayer on January 7th, 3205 at the Jewish West Hospital in the space habitat Rothstein, his family's baronial seat. At the time, his father was still heir to the Rothschild baronies. In 3211, his father ascended to the baronial titles and the young George became his heir.
George Francis Rothschild was privately tutored from age three to six, and attended the Wallerstein Hebrew School from August 3211 to April 3218. At age 13, he had his Bar Mitzvah and was considered by his parents and peers to be a man. He was transferred to the Wallerstein Scholastic Academy and attended it from July 3218 to May 3221. He matriculated at age 16 and entered college preparatory courses on Earth at the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut upon arriving to Earth in July 3221. His family's aristocratic position enabled ease of access to such prestigious schools. He attended studies at Choate for a year, beginning collegiate studies at the Yale Law School in August 3222. He graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in May 3225, and returned home to Rothstein to apply for the Kolossen colonial bar association.
On 23 September 3233 his father died. Inheriting the titles of Baron Rothschild of Rothstein, Hertford, and Waidhofen, he gave up on a career practising law and instead began a career in politics.
== Political career ==
Rothschild initially served as legal counsel for his father's political advisory committee for six years. It was during this period that he met Shannon McGrady, a staff member of Seth's policy team. His family became early patrons of McGrady's political career. When his father died, he chose to run for his father's vacant seat on the Wallerstein city council. He was, however, still a small player in the wider politics of the Empire. He joined the National Humanist Imperial Labor Party and entered the race.
=== Local politics ===
Rothschild ran for and won his father's seat by a wide margin in a special election, in which he obtained an 80% majority. However, the chairmanship of the council was voted into the hands of a Social Democratic Labor Party politician, Vincent Behan. Rothschild was constantly at odds with Behan on the city council and repeatedly acted as leader of the opposition. The city council was fairly evenly split between Conservative, Communist, Social Democrat, and National Humanist members. In the lead-in to the 3234 general local election, Rothschild cooperated with the McGrady family to fund several National Humanist candidates. The 3234 election saw a sweeping change in which the portions of the Communists and Social Democrats were halved, and the National Humanists gained a plurality of seats. Rothschild was reelected to the 20th district and chosen to be city council chairman.
In 3236, he and McGrady both ran for seats on the Waller County Board of Commissioners. He was elected chairman of the board and held that position for three years. In 3239, he declined to run for local office and set his sights on higher political positions. His family's funding of NHILP victories in local and county elections made Rothschild a power-broker and gained him support from Party chiefs. He ran for a seat in the Inner Colonies Provincial Parliament. While his McGrady ally became the political leader of the Kolossen star system, Rothschild would become a major force in provincial and Imperial politics.
=== Inner Colonies ===
Rothschild, with aristocratic bearing and prestige, an illustrious education and local political career, and financial resources to enable his rise, ran for and won a seat as a Senator to the Inner Colonies Provincial Parliament. He split his time between legislative assembly and keeping control of local politics in his home district. During this time, he impregnated his wife Deborah and bore three children. He enforced upon them a strict, conservative upbringing in lieu of his direct presence in their lives. He encouraged nothing short of excellence in their studies and activities. In the Inner Colonies parliament, he developed policies that created employment in the province and bolstered its participation in the Imperial military-industrial complex. His financial support of local politicians turned the province into a National Humanist stronghold during the 3240s, where previously it had been hotly contested between centre-right, centre-left, and radical nationalist political groups. He gained prestige in the Party and rose in its internal ranks.
He won re-election to the Inner Colonies Provincial Parliament in 3242, 3244, 3246, 3248, and 3250. He retired from his seat in 3252 after he was selected for the Party list for the Imperial Parliament. His vacant Senatorial seat was won by Shannon McGrady, who held it for ten years.
=== Imperial Parliament ===
In the 3252 elections, the National Humanist Imperial Labor Party won a 42% plurality.