(I) The Mongols were one of a number of nomadic peoples inhabiting the steppes of Central Asia. (II) Although closely connected with various Turkishspeaking peoples with whom they frequently intermarried, the Mongols spoke their own distinctive language and had their own homeland to the north of the Gobi Desert in present-day Mongolia. (III) In fact, it was not until the late thirteenth century that Europeans began to establish direct trading connections with India, China, and the “Spice Islands” of the Indonesian archipelago. (IV) Like many nomadic peoples throughout history, they were highly accomplished cavalry soldiers and constantly raided the sedentary peoples to their south. (V) It was in part to control such raiding from Mongolia that the Chinese built the famous Great Wall.