The stories begin with the tales of the Germanic chiefs who defeated the Romans: Alaric, Genseric, and Theodoric. Then come stories of the famous kings of the Franks: Clovis, Charles Martel, and Charlemagne. The second half of the book includes chapters on Justinian, Mohammed, Harun-Al-Rashid, El Cid, William the Conqueror, Frederick Barbarossa, Tamerlane, Marco Polo, and Joan of Arc. Each story is told in a clear, simple manner, and is well calculated to awaken and stimulate the imagination. This book guides the reader through the turbulent 'dark age' of history and illuminates how the world transitioned from the end of ancient times to the birth of the modern era.