Yuan Dynasty: 1279-1368
Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan, and in 1260 he adopted the title of Great Khan, meaning "Great Ruler". Technically, the Great Khan ruled over all of the Mongol empire, but in reality the empire was divided in power between the four khanates. Some of the other descendants of Genghis Khan ruled semi-independent territories, such as Persia and Russia. Kublai decided to focus on his own khanate, leaving the others to their own affairs as he turned his attention to conquering all of China.
The Chinese were able to hold off Kublai until 1279, when he finally defeated them. Before his victory, no foreigner had ever ruled all of China. Kublai proclaimed himself emperor of China, founding a new dynasty called the Yuan Dynasty. It lasted less than a century, and in 1368 it was overthrown. The Yuan era was still important in Chinese history for several reasons, however. First, this was the first time all of China had been united for 300 years. For this reason, the Chinese still consider him one of China's greatest emperors. Also, the continent-wide control of the Mongols over Asia gave China greater access to trade. In addition, Kublai and his successors did not alter the Chinese style of government, tolerating the ancient political format.
Kublai did not enjoy the cold, arid climate of Mongolia. He left the Mongolian steppes behind, choosing to live a luxurious settled life as emperor. He kept a summer retreat up in Shangdu, on the border of Mongolia and China. He moved the capital to modern-day Beijing, building a large square-walled city. This style of rule was completely opposite of his predecessors, who chose to live nomadic lives in their native land of Mongolia. Living in China indicated that Kublai truly cared about that region.
The Great Khan made several attempts to conquer Japan, in 1274 and 1281. He sent out great fleets to try to take over the country, but each time they were defeated by the superior Japanese navy. The Mongols forced the Koreans to build their boats, a monumental task that almost ruined the region. In the second fleet, there were 150,000 Mongol troops attacking Japan. They fought to a standstill, until there was a massive typhoon that destroyed the Mongol fleet. The Japanese called this the kamikaze, or the "divine wind".
Kublai faced many issues while he was trying to solidify his role as emperor. For starters, there were far less Mongols than native Chinese, so Kublai would have to trust non-Mongol officials to help run the government. The government system was completely different from the Mongol way of ruling, so the Mongols only allowed Chinese to hold local governmental positions. The higher-up ranks were reserved for Mongols and foreigners, whom the Mongols trusted due to them not having any loyalty to the land. Even with these difficulties, Kublai was able to make several successful improvements to China, such as extending the Grand canal to Beijing and restoring it. Also, he built a 1,100 mile highway along its banks, increasing the land and water trade at the same time.
Trade flourished under Kublai Khan, with ideas and inventions spreading throughout Europe and Asia easily due to the Mongol Peace. Many people came to visit Asia, including the famous Marco Polo. At that time, he was simply a Venetian trader, but Kublai took a liking to him. The Great Khan sent Marco Polo on missions, and the trader served him well for 17 years. When Marco Polo went back to Europe and was eventually imprisoned, he wrote about his experience in China. His writing stunned most readers, such as his description of "black stones" that the Chinese burned. The "stones" were coal, which was not widely used as fuel in Europe.
The Mongol empire started to decline towards the end of Kublai's rule. Desperate to retain his power, Kublai sent out his troops to try to expand his empire. After suffering massive and embarrassing defeats, he was forced to withdraw. He spent lots of money on failed public building projects and the luxurious Yuan court, and resentment grew among the overtaxed, overworked Chinese common folk.
Kublai died in 1274. After his death, various family members fought over the throne, and the dynasty gradually declined until 1368, when rebels finally overthrew the nobility and established a new dynasty, the Ming.
The Chinese were able to hold off Kublai until 1279, when he finally defeated them. Before his victory, no foreigner had ever ruled all of China. Kublai proclaimed himself emperor of China, founding a new dynasty called the Yuan Dynasty. It lasted less than a century, and in 1368 it was overthrown. The Yuan era was still important in Chinese history for several reasons, however. First, this was the first time all of China had been united for 300 years. For this reason, the Chinese still consider him one of China's greatest emperors. Also, the continent-wide control of the Mongols over Asia gave China greater access to trade. In addition, Kublai and his successors did not alter the Chinese style of government, tolerating the ancient political format.
Kublai did not enjoy the cold, arid climate of Mongolia. He left the Mongolian steppes behind, choosing to live a luxurious settled life as emperor. He kept a summer retreat up in Shangdu, on the border of Mongolia and China. He moved the capital to modern-day Beijing, building a large square-walled city. This style of rule was completely opposite of his predecessors, who chose to live nomadic lives in their native land of Mongolia. Living in China indicated that Kublai truly cared about that region.
The Great Khan made several attempts to conquer Japan, in 1274 and 1281. He sent out great fleets to try to take over the country, but each time they were defeated by the superior Japanese navy. The Mongols forced the Koreans to build their boats, a monumental task that almost ruined the region. In the second fleet, there were 150,000 Mongol troops attacking Japan. They fought to a standstill, until there was a massive typhoon that destroyed the Mongol fleet. The Japanese called this the kamikaze, or the "divine wind".
Kublai faced many issues while he was trying to solidify his role as emperor. For starters, there were far less Mongols than native Chinese, so Kublai would have to trust non-Mongol officials to help run the government. The government system was completely different from the Mongol way of ruling, so the Mongols only allowed Chinese to hold local governmental positions. The higher-up ranks were reserved for Mongols and foreigners, whom the Mongols trusted due to them not having any loyalty to the land. Even with these difficulties, Kublai was able to make several successful improvements to China, such as extending the Grand canal to Beijing and restoring it. Also, he built a 1,100 mile highway along its banks, increasing the land and water trade at the same time.
Trade flourished under Kublai Khan, with ideas and inventions spreading throughout Europe and Asia easily due to the Mongol Peace. Many people came to visit Asia, including the famous Marco Polo. At that time, he was simply a Venetian trader, but Kublai took a liking to him. The Great Khan sent Marco Polo on missions, and the trader served him well for 17 years. When Marco Polo went back to Europe and was eventually imprisoned, he wrote about his experience in China. His writing stunned most readers, such as his description of "black stones" that the Chinese burned. The "stones" were coal, which was not widely used as fuel in Europe.
The Mongol empire started to decline towards the end of Kublai's rule. Desperate to retain his power, Kublai sent out his troops to try to expand his empire. After suffering massive and embarrassing defeats, he was forced to withdraw. He spent lots of money on failed public building projects and the luxurious Yuan court, and resentment grew among the overtaxed, overworked Chinese common folk.
Kublai died in 1274. After his death, various family members fought over the throne, and the dynasty gradually declined until 1368, when rebels finally overthrew the nobility and established a new dynasty, the Ming.
Photo: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait.jpg