Slide 1
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan (1215-1294) Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was a Mongolian
leader who made an impact on China, not only through conquest, but
also by ruling successfully. Many of the rulers before him were
brutally land-hungry and apathetic to the conquered people;
however, Kublai challenged the stereotypes of Mongolian rulers by
investing in his newly acquired people and providing the
foundations of a grand empire.
Kublai was the second son ofToluiandSorghaghtani Beki, and a
grandson ofGenghis Khan. He succeeded his older brotherMungkeas
Khagan in 1260, but had to defeat his younger brotherArig Bukein a
succession war lasting till 1264. This episode marked the beginning
of disunity in the empire.Kublai's real power was limited to China
andMongolia, though as Khagan he still had influence in
theilkhanateand, to a far lesser degree, in theGolden Horde.If one
counts the Mongol Empire at that time as a whole, his realm reached
from the Pacific to theBlack Sea, fromSiberia to modern
dayAfghanistan one fifth of the world's inhabited land area.
The summer garden of Kublai Khan atXanaduis the subject ofSamuel
Taylor Coleridge's 1797 poemKublai Khan. This poem andMarco Polo's
earlier book brought Kublai and his achievements to the attention
of a wider audience, and today Kublai is a well-known historical
figure.
(1257-1324)Kublai's victory in North China- Enthronement In
1253, Kublai was ordered to attackYunnan, and he asked theKingdom
of Dalito submit. This kurultai proclaimed Kublai Great Khan, on
April 15, 1260, despite Arig Buke's apparently legal claim. Kublai
Khan was chosen by his many supporters to become the nextGreat
Khanat the GrandKurultaiin the year 1260. This led to warfare
between Kublai and Arig Buke, which resulted in the destruction of
the Mongolian capital at Karakorum.
Karakorum quickly fell to Kublai's large army, but following
Kublai's departure it was temporarily re-taken by Arig Buke in
1261. Arig Buke surrendered to Kublai at Xanadu on August 21, 1264.
The rulers of the western khanates acknowledged Kublai's victory
and rule in Mongolia.
1232-1266Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368)
TheYuan Dynastywas the empire established byKublai Khan, leader
of theMongolianBorjiginclan, after he conqueredSouthern
Songdynasties inChina.Although the Mongols had ruled territories,
which included today's northern China for decades, it was not until
1271 that Kublai Khan officially proclaimed the dynasty in the
traditional Chinese style. His realm theGreat Yuan Empire was by
this point isolated from the other khanates and controlled only
most of present-dayChinaand its surrounding areas including
modernMongolia. It was the first foreign dynasty to rule all of
China and lasted until 1368, after which its remnants in Mongolia
were known as theNorthern Yuan.8The Yuan is considered both a
successor to theMongol Empireand as an imperialChinese dynasty.
Inofficial Chinese histories, the Yuan Dynasty bore theMandate of
Heaven, following theSong Dynastyand preceding theMing Dynasty.
Although the dynasty was established by Kublai Khan, he placed his
grandfatherGenghis Khanon the imperial records as the official
founder of the dynasty asTaizu.In addition toEmperor of China,
Kublai Khan also claimed the title ofGreat Khan, supreme over the
other successor khanates: theChagatai, theGolden Horde, and
theilkhanate. As such, the Great Yuan Empire was also sometimes
referred to as theEmpire of the Great Khan.
Rule of Kublai KhanKublai Khan was seen as a martial emperor,
reforming much of China and its institutions, a process that would
have taken decades to complete. For example, he consolidated his
rule by centralizingthe government of China making himself (unlike
his predecessors) anabsolute monarch. He divided his empire
intoXing Zhongshushengusually translated as "branch Secretariat" or
"province", each governing the areas of approximately two or three
modern-day Chinese provinces, and this provincial-level government
structure became the model for laterMingandQingdynasties.Kublai
Khan also reformed many other governmental and economic
institutions, especially the tax system.Thank you for your
attention~~
