Kublai Khan and the Yuan Dynasty

What happened

Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan proclaimed the Yuan dynasty in China in 1271, and by 1279 had conquered the Southern Song to become the first non-Han ruler of all China. He built a capital at what is now Beijing and ruled as a Chinese emperor as well as Great Khan of the Mongols.

Why it matters

The Yuan dynasty placed the whole of China under Mongol rule for the first time and folded the country into a vast Eurasian empire.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Yuan Dynasty · Reputable source