Great Yuan: Map & History
The Yuan dynasty, officially the Great Yuan, was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division.
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The Yuan dynasty, officially the Great Yuan, was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth khagan-emperor of the Mongol Empire from the Borjigin clan, and lasted from 1271 to 1368 CE. In Chinese history, the Yuan dynasty followed the Song dynasty and preceded the Ming dynasty.
Modern Countries Once Part of Great Yuan
At its mapped extent, Great Yuan covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Great Yuan's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Great Yuan in Depth
History
Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes of the steppes and became Great Khan in 1206. He and his successors expanded the Mongol empire across Asia. Under the reign of Genghis' third son, Ögedei Khan, the Mongols destroyed the weakened Jin dynasty in 1234, conquering most of northern China. Ögedei offered his nephew Kublai a position in Xingzhou, Hebei. Kublai was unable to read Chinese but had several Han teachers attached to him since his early years by his mother Sorghaghtani. He sought the counsel of Chinese Buddhist and Confucian advisers. Möngke Khan succeeded Ögedei's son, Güyük, as Great Khan in 1251. He granted his brother Kublai control over Mongol held territories in China.
Government
The Yuan government was centred on the emperor, huangdi in Chinese and khagan in Mongolian. Unlike ethnically Han dynasties, the Yuan court did not adhere to primogeniture and all of Kublai's descendants were eligible candidates for the throne. Election Kurultais (assemblies), during which genuine discussion on the succession would occur, were held until 1311. With the enthronement of Gegeen Khan in 1320, kurultais became a formality and real power over succession was held by empress-dowagers, guard units, or high officials.
The dynasty chose white as its imperial colour, which corresponds to the Metal element according to the theory of the Five Elements (wuxing). The Metal element does not directly follow the Song's dynastic element, Fire, in the creation sequence of the five elements.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Yuan dynasty (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Great Yuan: Key Facts
| Capital | Khanbaliq |
|---|---|
| Form of government | absolute monarchy |
| Currencies | cash, Chao |
| Founded | 1271 |
| Dissolved | 1368 |
Preceded by
- Song dynasty
- Southern Song dynasty
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q7313 (CC0).
Great Yuan Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Great Yuan appears, with the other states of the time.
Great Yuan Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 51,348 km² in 46 CE.
Great Yuan: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Great Yuan exist?
Great Yuan is dated to 110 BCE – 50 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Great Yuan?
The capital of Great Yuan was Dadu (now Beijing), Shangdu (summer capital).
How large was Great Yuan at its peak?
At its peak in 46 AD Great Yuan covered about 51,348 km².
How did the map of Great Yuan change over time?
Great Yuan appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 100 BCE to 1 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.