Kublai Khan, << KOO bly KAHN or KOO bluh KAHN >> (1215-1294), the grandson of Genghis Khan, founded the Mongol, or Yuan, dynasty that ruled China from 1279 to 1368. Kublai was the son of Tolui and brother of the fourth Great-Khan, Mangu. Kublai conquered Yunnan and Annam, and when Mangu died in 1259, Kublai became Great-Khan and ruler of the Mongol Empire. But his other brothers did not recognize his position. They disregarded Genghis Khan’s warning to his heirs to remain united under one Great-Khan, and the unity of the All-Mongolia Empire soon ended.
Kublai established his capital in Cambaluc (now Beijing) in 1264. In 1276, his forces took Quinsay (now Hangzhou), the capital of the Song dynasty, and destroyed the Song fleet near Kuang-chou (now Guangzhou). By 1279, Kublai had completed the conquest of China. For the first time in history, foreign invaders had conquered all of China. Burma (now Myanmar), Cambodia, and other countries of Southeast Asia were forced to recognize the Yuan dynasty as their rulers. But Kublai’s attempts to conquer Japan and Java failed. He also failed to gain direct control over the western half of the Mongol Empire. Under Kublai’s rule, art and science flourished, trade expanded, and cultural relations were established with countries throughout the world.
