Drawing upon a wealth of documentation, Gwynne Lewis's story of one of the most dynamic entrepreneurs in modern French history examines Pierre-François Tubeuf's contribution to the development of industry in France. Professor Lewis explores the relationship between seigneurial, proto-industrial, and modern forms of capitalism in the Cévennes region of south-eastern France in the eighteenth century, and demonstrates the international scope of proto-industrialization.

A subtle, scholarly study, it unravels the complex problems associated with the impact of the French Revolution on the processes of modern French capitalism, and traces the responses of a wide variety of individuals, including Tubeuf and his greatest rival, the Maréchal de Castries. He examines the epic struggle of these two powerful men for control of the rich coal-mines of the region, and their legacy to succeeding generations.