Frankish leader Clovis rose to power at the end of the 5th century, uniting tribes in the
region, converting to Christianity, and forming an alliance with the Catholic Church. King Clovis
solidified his power through harsh punishment and repression, an approach to rule that echoed
throughout the Dark Ages. Even powerful Emperor Justinian and his dedicated wife Theodora
failed to maintain control during this era as Constantinople and the rest of Europe became
crippled by the bubonic plague. Some beacons of justice and progress did emerge during the Dark
Ages; studious monks such as St. Benedict garnered new philosophical insights, the Byzantines
constructed glorious monuments including the Hagia Sophia, and King Charlemagne of France
provided a model pathway toward revitalization in the 8th century. Yet despite these flickers of
advancement and innovation, from the 5th century through the Middle Ages, Europe was
dominated by bitter warfare, crude violence, and the erratic whims of weather and disease. The
Dark Ages, with riveting tales from the era and dramatic commentary from historians, provideseducators and their students with a fascinating view of the critical historical era between the glory
of Rome and the onset of the Medieval era.