Fostered by the Mongol invasions of the mid-thirteenth century, and inculcated with a new taste, especially for Chinese designs and motifs, a new style of art was disseminated throughout Islamic lands. This was a time of brilliant creativity, in which certain preexisting techniques reached their greatest heights and fresh modes of artistic expression were invented. This period is likewise marked by strong dynastic patrons, often foreigners in their own lands, who sought to legitimize their rule and emphasize their own acculturation through vigorous sponsorship of the arts.