Evaluate the importance of the Mongol Empire to the effective functioning of the Silk Road.

Candidates will appraise the importance of the Mongol empire to the Silk Road, gauging how far its effective functioning was due to, or perhaps despite, the actions of the Mongol empire. Candidates may adopt a chronological approach, outlining how effectively the Silk Road functioned at the beginning, during and at the end of the Mongol period and address the ways in which this could be linked to Mongol activity, or they could choose a thematic approach and address the Mongols’ impact on areas such as trade, travel and cultural exchange. While candidates may also reflect on other (non-Mongol) factors that aided or inhibited the effective functioning of the Silk Road during the period, the focus of the response must be on the importance of the Mongol empire.