Kublai Khan and China

Kublai Khan and China

Genghis Khan’s son was called Kublai Khan. When he became leader of the Mongols he moved from the windswept steppes of central Asia to rule the most splendid court in the world in China. At this time, China was the most sophisticated, technologically advance country in the world.

Kublai Khan’s armies overthrew the ruling Song dynasty in China. By 1279 he controlled most of this vast country, although his grip was less secure on the western parts of the empire. The new Mongol emperor moved his capital to Beijing, taking care to maintain many aspects of Chinese culture. China at this time has the world’s biggest cities, including Kaifeng and Hangzhou. Chinese silks, porcelain and other luxuries astonished travellers from Europe and Africa.

One famous visitor to Kublai Khan’s court was Marco Polo, an Italian explorer. He later wrote in praise of Chinese cities, with their restaurants and baths, of China’s fine postal system and its paper money – as yet unknown in Europe. The Chinese had discovered many technologies such as papermaking. Other inventions included the magnetic compass, printing with movable type and, most amazing of all to startled foreigners, exploding gunpowder rockets, which would later become known as fireworks.

Kublai Khan was a fair ruler as well as a brilliant general, and strengthened his empire by building long roads to connect far-flung territories. He organized charity for the sick and food supplies in the case of famine. He also wanted to extend Mongol power and trice tried to invade Japan, but without success. After the death of Kublai in 1294 the mighty Mongol empire began to decline and by the mid 1300s it had largely broken up. Then in 1369, Timur the lame, known as Tamerlame, made himself ruler of Samarkand in central Asia. He claimed descent from Genghis Khan and set out to recreate the Mongol Empire. He conquered Persia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and part of Russia. In 1397 he invaded India and then died on the way to China in 1405.