Overview
Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, proclaimed the Yuan in 1271 and completed the conquest of the Southern Song by 1279. In the official classification, Mongol and other non-Han elites ranked above Han subjects.
Key developments
The Grand Canal was rerouted toward Dadu, and paper currency circulated across the empire. East–West exchange thrived under Mongol rule; Marco Polo’s account describes Kublai’s China.
End and transition
Succession struggles, inflation, and Yellow River flooding fed the Red Turban rebellions. Zhu Yuanzhang’s forces took Dadu in 1368, ending the dynasty.