Introduction; 1. Monsieur de La Brède (1689–1705); 2. From La brède to Secondat de Montesquieu (1705–1713); 3. From Secondat to Montesquieu (1713–1721); 4. Taking Wing (1722–1727); 5. Europe on the horizon (1728–1731); 6. A new departure (1731–1738); 7. 'A labor of twenty years' (1736–1748); 8. The march to glory (1749–1755); 9. The final battle.