Yuan Dynasty

Statue of Genghis Khan

Since the late period of the 12th century, an ethnic minority group called Mongolian had grown up in the northern areas of China. In 1204, one of the leaders of the Mongolian tribes, Tiemuzhen, unified all the internal tribes. Two years later, Tiemuzhen was honored as Genghis Khan (meaning - the ruler of the world) and soon established the Mongolian Empire. Successively, it captured Xixia and the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234), after which the combative Mongolian army sent its military forces into Central Asia and Europe.
 
In 1260, the grandson of Tiemuzhen, Kublai Khan, ascended the throne. In 1271, he formally established the Yuan Dynasty by changing the state title into Yuan, with Yuandadu (currently Beijing) as the capital. (The new dynasty was not territorially the former Mongolian Empire as three parts had broken away before the new dynasty was founded.)

Map of Yuan Dynasty

In 1276, not long after the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan led his army, capturing the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279) and thus he unified the entire China. At that time, the territory of the Yuan Dynasty stretched to Mongolia and Siberia in the north, the South Sea in the south, Yunnan Province and Tibet in the southwest, eastern part of Xinjiang Province in the northwest and the Stanovoi Range in the northeast. The total area of the country was over 4.6 million square miles.

As a mighty state, the Yuan Dynasty enjoyed economic development and prospered in the fields of science and literature. The economy of the Yuan Dynasty was mainly based on agriculture. The agricultural techniques used were superior to those of previous dynasties and food output increased. Additionally, the use of paper currency stimulated the development of commerce. Meanwhile, trade with foreign countries was greatly 

Nadam Fair on Gegentala Grassland, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia

encouraged following an open policy adopted by the Yuan rulers. In the area of science, astronomy, mathematics and medicine reached a very high level. In literature, the Yuan drama, along with the Tang poem and 'ci' poem of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), was considered another heritage of Chinese literature. During the glorious period of the Yuan Dynasty, diplomatic activities with foreign countries were quite frequent with many foreign envoys, merchants and travelers traversing the sea to come to China. Among them, the famous Italian merchant Marco Polo was a successful cultural transmitter who wrote the historic travel notes, The Travels of Marco Polo, informing the West about China.

In the late Yuan Dynasty, the internal contradictions of the ruling class, serious natural disasters, and unreasonable grading system together aroused the indignation of the people. In 1367, the rebel army led by Zhu Yuanzhang captured the Yuan capital, ending the ever mighty Yuan Dynasty.

Emperors of the Yuan Dynasty

Order	Name	Notes	Period of Reign
1	Taizu (Borjigin Temujin)	Also known as Genghis Khan the great military leader; Temujin founded the great Mongolian Empire, with his territory stretching across the entire Eurasian Continent.	1206 - 1227
2	Ruizong (Borjigin Tolui)	The fourth son of Temujin, he governed the empire for two years after Temujin died	1227 - 1229
3	Taizong (Borjigin Ögedei)	The third son of Temujin; during his reign, he formed an alliance with the Southern Song to fight against Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234).	1229 - 1241
4	Empress Zhaoci (Töregene Khâtûn)	After the death of Taizong, a grandson of Temujin was due to succeed the throne, but the empress Zhaoci usurped the throne.	1241 - 1246
5	Dingzong (Borjigin Güyük)	The eldest son of Taizong	1246 - 1248
6	Empress Qinshu (Oghul Ghaymish)	Empress of Dingzong; she ruled for three years after the death of Dingzong .	1248 - 1251
7	Xianzong (Borjigin Möngke)	During his reign, the Yuan army began to fight against the Southern Song (1127 - 1279). In 1259, he died while on march.	1251 - 1259
Emperors of the Yuan Dynasty
8	Yuan Shizu (Borjigin Kublai)	Grandson of Genghis Khan, and founder of the Yuan Dynasty. He moved the capital of the Yuan Dynasty to Beijing and settled there. In 1279, he defeated the Southern Song Dynasty (960 - 1279).	1260 - 1294
9	Yuan Chengzong (Borjigin Temür)	Grandson of Kublai Khan; a conventional emperor	1295 - 1307
10	Yuan Wuzong (Borjigin Qayshan)	Nephew of Chengzong	1308 - 1311
11	Yuan Renzong (Borjigin Ayurparibhadra)	Younger brother of Wuzong; he ascended the throne after Wuzong died	1312 - 1320
12	Yuan Yingzong (Borjigin Suddhipala)	Son of Renzong; he was killed by political enemies in a coup.	1321 - 1323
13	Taiding Di (Borjigin Yesün-Temür)	Grandson of Kublai Khan; an unremarkable emperor	1324 - 1328
14	Tianshun Di (Borjigin Arigaba)	The youngest son of Taiding Di; he was placed on the throne following a coup, but ruled for only a month.	1328
15	Yuan Wenzong (Borjigin Toq-Temür)	The second son of Wuzong; he died of illness in 1332.	1328 - 1332
16	Yuan Mingzong (Borjigin Qoshila)	The eldest son of Wuzhong; He was poisoned by Wenzong and reigned for only eight months.	1329
17	Yuan Ningzong (Borjigin Irinchibal)	The second son of Mingzong; after ruling for less than two months, he died of illness.	1332
18	Yuan Huizong (Borjigin Toghan-Temür)	The eldest son of Mingzong; during his reign, the Hongjinjun Uprising broke out and subsequently the capital was captured by Zhu Yuanzhang.	1333 - 1368

Useful links:

Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire