The family fortune was established by Nikita Demidov (1656-1725), who was the prime Russian manufacturer of weapons as well as establishing an iron foundry for Peter the Great. Nikita's son Akinfiy Demidov (1678-1745) increased the family's already considerable wealth by the discovery and working of gold, silver and emerald mines. Anatole Demidov (1812-1870) was a well known patron of the arts who married Princess Mathilde, daughter of Jerome Bonaparte. His great grand nephew Crown Prince Pavel was Regent of Yugoslavia (1934-1941).