The Drach family played a significant role in the history of the Frankfurt Jews, particularly in the 16th century. It is a branch of the older Bacharach family, and took the name of one of its new houses, the Drache, as its family name. During the 17th century its members were very wealthy. Abraham Drach, the family's most eminent member, rose to the rank of imperial court factor and thus also achieved a dominating position within the Frankfurt Jewish community. As such he was soon faced with rivals for power. A dispute for domination of the Judengasse went on for decades during the second half of the 17th century under the leadership of Isaak Kann, the head of the influential Kann family with whom Drach was actually related by marriage. The dispute is recorded in the history of the Frankfurt Jews as the DrachKann disputes. At first the Drach family were active in the money and lending trade and in the jewellery trade. During the 18th century, their great rivals, the Kanns, became the most influential family, and the Drach's businesses suffered a setback. In 1715, for example, a jewellery shop belonging to the Drach family went bankrupt