In the short term, invasions by so-called "barbarians" wreak havoc on societies, but in hindsight the turmoil can bring positive change, suggests Thomas Craughwell, who cites here such momentous by-products of conquest as the establishment of the English language, the foundation of Dublin, and the introduction of gunpowder to Europe. In this balanced overview, more than 100 paintings, engravings, and maps serve to illustrate profiles of major figures like Attila, Alfred the Great, the Vandal king Gaiseric, and the Russian warrior-princess Olga, along with broader analyses of such peoples as the Goths, Huns, Mongols, Saxons, Franks—and of course, the Vikings.