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1271–1368 CEReputable sourceWell documented

The Mongol Yuan Dynasty

On the timeline · around 1271–1368 CE · Song, Yuan & MingSong, Yuan & MingThe Mongol Yuan Dynasty100011001200130014001500

What happened

Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, proclaimed the Yuan dynasty in 1271 and by 1279 had conquered the Southern Song, becoming the first non-Han ruler of all China. The Mongol peace reopened overland trade and travel, drawing visitors such as the Venetian Marco Polo.

Why it matters

For the first time all of China was ruled by a foreign dynasty and folded into the largest land empire in history, linking East and West as never before — until misrule and rebellion brought the Yuan down in 1368.

Sources

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