José Maria do Espírito Santo e Silva, from money-changer to banker, 1869-1915

Abstract

Over a period of less than half a century, the money-changer Espírito Santo e Silva transformed his modest «bureau de change» into one the major banking houses in the Lisbon market. When he died, in 1915, his inheritance consisted mainly of the assets of his last banking corporation, which his sons transformed into a bank five years later, thereby laying the foundations for the Espírito Santo banking dynasty.