From the introduction: The early middle ages started with the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the early 5th century. The earlier part of this era saw the great Germanic and Slavic migrations across Europe, with peoples such as the Goths and Lombards settling in southern Europe, the franks settling in Gaul, and Saxons crossing the sea and settling in Britain. The Eastern Roman Empire was violently shaken by the pressure from the goths and Avars, and fought bitterly with the ancient Persian enemy. The rise of Islam saw the Arabs conquering immense amounts of territory in the Middle East and North Africa, and in India several great dynasties vied for dominance, with the Rahstrakutas rising towards the end of the 8th century. In the steppes, the Khazars grew in power, and in Scandinavia things were about to change in a way that was to affect the entire continent…