Who was the world's first billionaire?
ohn D Rockefeller – probably. In previous centuries, kings and emperors, plus bankers and merchants, garnered wealth that would equate to several billion pounds or dollars today, but the term ‘billionaire’ came into vogue only in the late 19th century. It was first applied to Andrew Carnegie (who made his money in steel) and Rockefeller (oil), along with other American magnates who were also criticised as ‘robber barons’ for their ruthless business practices and