A study of problems based on pawn promotion and their development from the earliest times. 38 problems (the earliest date ca 850) illustrate the historical development. The main part of the work consists of a collection of 504 problems, with solutions and critiques, arranged by a detailed classification according to whether or not the promotions are made by white or black and for what purpose (direct attack, simple avoidance or stalemate, indirect avoidance of stalemate, direct defense, attempting self-stalemate, in self-mates, etc).