Connection between rise of Ghenghis Khan to the era of intense spiritual and intellectual upheaval

I would like you to reflect upon the possible connections that would tie the rise of Genghis (Chinggis) Khan to the era of intense spiritual and intellectual upheaval and questioning that preceded what came to be known as the Protestant Reformation over two centuries later in Europe. The Mongol expansion sparked a series of events that might provide us with at least one piece of the puzzle to explain what led society to question everything it had more or less quietly accepted before.  (I stress, this is a possibleexplanation of some of the many factors). Very specifically, I am asking you to consider disease as the particular engine of change here.