Sep 23, 1215 CE
Birth of Kublai Khan
Kublai was born to Tolui, the youngest son of Genghis Khan, and Sorghaghtani Beki in the Mongol heartland.
Chronological Storyline (24 Milestones)
Jun 1, 1251 CE
Möngke becomes Great Khan
Kublai's eldest brother Möngke was elected Great Khan, elevating Kublai's status and assigning him governance over Mongol-held territories in northern China.
Sep 1, 1253 CE
Conquest of Dali Kingdom
Kublai led a campaign that subdued the Dali Kingdom in modern-day Yunnan, incorporating it into the Mongol Empire and outflanking the Southern Song dynasty.
Aug 11, 1259 CE
Death of Möngke Khan
Great Khan Möngke died during the siege of Diaoyu Castle, triggering a succession crisis that eventually led to Kublai claiming the throne.
May 5, 1260 CE
Kublai elected Great Khan
Kublai was proclaimed Great Khan at Kaiping, though his brother Ariq Böke disputed the succession, leading to a civil war.
May 5, 1260 CE
Founding of Zhongtong era
Upon his election, Kublai established the Zhongtong era name, signaling his adoption of Chinese administrative traditions. )
Aug 21, 1264 CE
Ariq Böke surrenders
Kublai's brother Ariq Böke surrendered at Shangdu, ending the Toluid Civil War and solidifying Kublai's position as Great Khan.
Aug 1, 1264 CE
Establishment of Shangdu
Kublai designated Kaiping as Shangdu, known as Xanadu, serving as his summer capital and a symbol of Mongol-Chinese synthesis.
1267 CE
Construction of Dadu begins
Kublai ordered the construction of Dadu, near modern Beijing, as his new winter capital, laying the foundation for the city's enduring significance. )
Dec 18, 1271 CE
Proclamation of Yuan dynasty
Kublai officially proclaimed the Yuan dynasty, adopting the Chinese dynastic name and asserting his mandate to rule all of China.
Mar 4, 1272 CE
Renaming of Capital to Dadu
The capital city of Zhongdu was officially renamed Dadu, meaning Great Capital, serving as the political center of the newly established Yuan dynasty.
Nov 19, 1274 CE
First invasion of Japan
A Mongol-led fleet launched an invasion of Japan, but a storm and stiff resistance forced the forces to retreat.
1275 CE
Marco Polo arrives at court
Venetian traveler Marco Polo arrived at Kublai's court, later documenting his experiences and introducing Yuan China to Europe.
Mar 1, 1276 CE
Fall of Lin'an
Yuan forces captured the Southern Song capital of Lin'an, effectively ending the Song dynasty's resistance.
Mar 19, 1279 CE
Battle of Yamen
The Yuan navy defeated the last Song loyalist forces at Yamen, completing the reunification of China under Mongol rule.
Jan 1, 1281 CE
Establishment of Paper Currency
Kublai mandated the use of paper money throughout the Yuan empire, establishing a state-backed currency system that facilitated trade and commerce.
Jun 1, 1281 CE
Second invasion of Japan
Kublai launched a second, larger invasion of Japan, but a massive typhoon, later called kamikaze, destroyed much of the fleet.
1281 CE
Creation of Phagspa script
Kublai's imperial preceptor Drogön Chögyal Phagpa created a new script to write Mongolian and other languages, intended to unify the empire's writing systems.
Jan 1, 1284 CE
Patronage of Tibetan Buddhism
Kublai officially elevated Tibetan Buddhism, appointing the Sakya lama Drogön Chögyal Phagpa as imperial preceptor and integrating it into state affairs.
1284 CE
Invasion of Champa
Yuan forces invaded the kingdom of Champa in modern-day Vietnam, but faced prolonged guerrilla resistance and eventually withdrew.
Jan 1, 1285 CE
Reorganization of Administration
Kublai restructured the central government by establishing the Zhongshu Sheng to oversee civil administration and stabilize governance across the empire.
1287 CE
Invasion of Burma
Yuan armies invaded the Pagan Empire in Burma, fragmenting the kingdom and establishing Mongol suzerainty over the region.
Jan 1, 1292 CE
Invasion of Java
Kublai dispatched a large naval expedition to punish the Singhasari kingdom in Java, but the campaign failed due to local resistance and tropical disease.
Feb 18, 1294 CE
Death of Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan died at the age of 78 in Dadu, leaving the Yuan dynasty to his grandson Temür Khan.