The book is dedicated to the life and work of the founder of the industrial dynasty Nikita Demidov, who laid the foundation for the great mountain empire, his sons, under whom it reached its greatest prosperity, and grandchildren, under whom it broke up. Biographies of most of the heroes are first presented with such a degree of completeness and accuracy. The author, doctor of historical sciences, emphasizing the importance of the creative activity of the Demidovs, at the same time is far from panegyric praises and from the image of heroes as bloody villains. Widely using documentary (including attracted for the first time) sources, he talks about events spanning almost a century, about the relations of the Demidovs with the authorities (including Peter the Great), about the contribution of representatives of the clan to the development of the Russian state.