Starting with the collapse of Rome in the fifth century, this History Channel documentary explores the Dark Ages, highlighting the widespread disorder across the continent. It delves into the invasions by Vikings, Vandals, and Visigoths, as well as the devastation caused by the bubonic plague, famine, and civil unrest. The program guides viewers from these bleak times to the emergence of a new era, as the chaos engulfing Europe eventually leads to the Crusades, the Enlightenment, and the Renaissance.