Theodor Herzl initiates correspondence with Lord Rothschild, seeking a meeting in London. Concurrently, he completes his novel Altneuland. During this period, a pivotal encounter with the economist and social reformer Franz Oppenheimer unfolds. Subsequent travels to Paris and London set the stage for significant developments. While in Paris, Herzl receives an invitation to appear before the Royal Commission on Alien Immigration in London. Amidst these events, he receives the somber news of the death of his father, Jacob Herzl, prompting a return from London to Vienna for the funeral.
Following this, Herzl resumes activities in London, engaging in crucial meetings with Nathaniel Mayer Rothschild. The Ottoman Sultan Abd ul-Hamid II extends a formal invitation for Herzl to visit Constantinople, underscoring the diplomatic importance of the meeting. Herzl then appears before the Royal Commission, presenting a comprehensive outline of the plan and its financial aspects to Lord Rothschild.
