From the north
came a great force. Since 1234, most of Northern
China was controlled by the Mongols. It was but a small
portion of the vast empire created by the conquests of
Genghis Khan. The Mongol Empire stretched as far west as
the Black Sea. But to the south, the Song dynasty had
continued to hold the Mongols at bay in a very long
stalemate. In 1253 Kublilai Khan, grandson of Genghis
Khan, completed the southern expansion with the defeat of
the Southern Song Kingdom. For nearly 100 years
China would be ruled by the outsiders. During their reign
the Mongolian Emperors maintained strong ties to the
homeland and continued many of their cultural customs. In
fact, they were all buried in Mongolia. The most notable
contribution to the Chinese society by the Mongol rule was
the development of the Postal Service. Something that was
in practice in Mongolia for many years. The dynasty was
certainly doomed from the beginning. The Mongols made no
attempt to adopt the ways of the people they governed in
any of their lands. Thus it was only a matter of time
before the people would join together and drive them from
their home. 1368 was the time, and Zhu Yuanzhang (Emperor
Hongwu) was the man. A peasant turned rebel, he quickly
gained popularity throughout the oppressed population and
with this...power. He successfully drove the Mongols from
the soils of China, and founded the Ming Dynasty.
China would be ruled by the outsiders. During their reign
the Mongolian Emperors maintained strong ties to the
homeland and continued many of their cultural customs. In
fact, they were all buried in Mongolia. The most notable
contribution to the Chinese society by the Mongol rule was
the development of the Postal Service. Something that was
in practice in Mongolia for many years. The dynasty was
certainly doomed from the beginning. The Mongols made no
attempt to adopt the ways of the people they governed in
any of their lands. Thus it was only a matter of time
before the people would join together and drive them from
their home. 1368 was the time, and Zhu Yuanzhang (Emperor
Hongwu) was the man. A peasant turned rebel, he quickly
gained popularity throughout the oppressed population and
with this...power. He successfully drove the Mongols from
the soils of China, and founded the Ming Dynasty.
