Kublai Khan (忽必烈, or Emperor Shizu of Yuan) was the fifth khagan of Mongol Empire and founder of Yuan dynasty, rulling since 1260 to his death at 1294. He is a cousin of Khotun Khan and grandson of Genghis Khan. Residing in Khanbaliq he sent Khotun to Tsushima at the year 1274 in order to conquer the Japanese Empire.
History[]
Elected as Great Khan of Great Mongol State at 5 May 1260 he became fifth supreme monarch of Great Ulus after Möngke Khan, his father. During his reign he was at conflict with pretender Ariq Böke. After that Mongol Empire was divided into four independent empires - Chagatai Khanate, Ilkhanate Empire, Golden Horde and Yuan Great Chinese Khanate - although unity of Genghis Khan's creation survived and all respected Kublai's position.
His reign was one of the greatest in imperial history. Kublai lead many wars, including with Mamluks from Egypt, Pagan (Birma), Dai Viet (modern Vietnam), Chinese Song Empire and many other nations or people, while also living in peace with such kingdoms like those at Europe. He transferred imperial capital city from Karakorum to Khanbaliq at the year 1271 and started Yuan Dynasty, which ruled until its fall at the year 1368. Also allowed for cultural progress among Mongol Empire.
In the year 1274 he conquered much of Asia. There was only one state, which never became his territory of protectorate - Japan. After emissaries were brutally killed and his ultimatum ignored, he launched a massive invasion to their isles. His first objective was Tsushima - a small island off the coast of Japan in which continental Asia made trade with main archipelago. Kublai sent Khotun Khan with tens of thousands of soldiers from all across The Mongol Empire in order to capture Tsushima and make the land as a future base of operations for taking mainland Japan.
Trivia[]
- Kublai Khan commanded the invasion of Tsushima in real-life instead of the fictional Khotun Khan, although he did not personally participate on the battlefield.