Diego Pereira d'Aguilar facts for kids
Baron Diego Lopes Pereira d'Aguilar (born 1699 in Portugal; died August 10, 1759, in London) was a successful Jewish businessman. He was also a leader in his community and a generous helper of others. Originally from Portugal, he later lived in London. Empress Maria Theresa of Austria made him a baron, which is a noble title.
A Life of Influence
In 1722, Diego d'Aguilar traveled from Lisbon to London, and then to Vienna. From 1725 to 1747, he managed the tobacco business for Austria. This meant he could set up factories and decide prices for tobacco.
Empress Maria Theresa of Austria really liked and trusted him. In 1747, when he asked for some money back that he had given to the government, the Empress said, "This seems fair to me. I owe him much more." She then made sure he got his money back.
Maria Theresa also asked him to help rebuild and make the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace bigger. He even gave 300,000 florins (an old type of money) to help with this important work.
Helping His Community
Because of his great help, Empress Maria Theresa made him a baron. She also made him a special advisor for the Austrian Netherlands and Italy. He was known as a Baron of the Holy Roman Empire.
Diego d'Aguilar and his family were allowed to practice their Jewish faith freely. He started the Spanish or Turco-Jewish community in Vienna. He worked hard to get special permissions and help for Jewish people who were facing difficulties.
Thanks to his efforts, Jewish people in Moravia were protected from harm in 1742. Also, the Empress's plan to make all Jewish people leave the Austrian empire in 1748 or 1749 was stopped because of him.
In 1749, he suddenly left Vienna and moved to London. Before he left Vienna, he gave beautiful silver crowns for the Torah scrolls to the community he had founded. He also gave some to the Spanish-Jewish community in Temesvar. His name was written on these gifts. Even after he passed away, the Turco-Jewish community in Vienna remembered him with a special prayer.
His Family Life
In 1722, Diego d'Aguilar married Donna Simha da Fonseca. They had many children together.
- Aron d'Aguilar (born 1725)
- Sarah d'Aguilar (1728—1801)
- Rachel d'Aguilar (1730—1789)
- Rebecca d'Aguilar (1732—1803)
- Hannah d'Aguilar (1734—1763)
- Esther d'Aguilar (1739—1791)
- Baron Ephraim Lópes Pereira d'Aguilar (1739—1802)
- Leah d'Aguilar (1742—1808)
- David d'Aguilar (1744—1790)
- Judith d'Aguilar (1747—1821)
- Abigail d'Aguilar (1749—1822)
- Joseph d'Aguilar (1750—1774)
- Solomon d'Aguilar (1752—1817)
- Benjamin d'Aguilar (1753—1813)
- Hananel d'Aguilar (1754—1809)
