"BUT in the thirteenth century, while this strange and finally ineffectual struggle to unify Christendom under the rule of the Pope was going on in Europe, far more momentous events were afoot upon the larger stage of Asia. A Turkish people from the country to the north of China rose suddenly to prominence in the world’s affairs, and achieved such a series of conquests as has no parallel in history. These were the Mongols. At the opening of the thirteenth century they were a horde of nomadic horsemen, living very much as their predecessors, the Huns, had done, subsisting chiefly upon meat and mare’s milk and living in tents of skin. They had shaken themselves free from Chinese dominion, and brought a number of other Turkish tribes into a military confederacy. Their central camp was at Karakorum in Mongolia." H. G. Wells, A Short History of the World, 1922

A) Identify ONE aspect of the status of empires in the region that might have influenced Wells’s con

During this period, Europe was going through lots of unrest and there was an effectual struggle to unify Christendom under the rule of the Pope. At the same time, Asia never had any momentous empire at that period of time to challenge the Mongols' either.

The Mongols who suddenly came to prominence in the world’s affairs within a short period of time could easily fight and conquer enemies as a result. This might have influenced Wells’ conclusions that the Mongols' conquests were without parallel.