The Mongol Era
A timeline of the Mongol Empire from 1162 to 1368 CE — from Temüjin's birth to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty and the end of Mongol rule in China.
Birth of Temüjin (Genghis Khan)
The future conqueror is born on the Mongolian steppe. Orphaned and abandoned, he will rise from exile to build history's largest land empire.
Temüjin Proclaimed Genghis Khan
A great assembly of Mongol tribes proclaims Temüjin as Genghis Khan — 'Universal Ruler' — unifying the steppe peoples under one command.
Conquest of Northern China
Mongol armies invade and gradually conquer the Jin Dynasty, taking Beijing in 1215 and completing the conquest by 1234.
Destruction of the Khwarezmian Empire
Genghis Khan annihilates the Khwarezmian Empire in Central Asia — cities like Bukhara, Samarkand, and Merv are sacked with devastating loss of life.
Death of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan dies during a campaign in China. His empire is divided among his sons, setting the stage for both expansion and future fragmentation.
Mongol Invasion of Russia
Batu Khan's forces devastate Russia and Ukraine, destroying Kiev and establishing the Golden Horde's dominance over Russian principalities for centuries.
Mongol Invasion of Europe
Mongol armies defeat Polish and Hungarian forces in separate battles. The death of Ögedei Khan recalls them east — Europe is spared by chance.
Sack of Baghdad
Hulagu Khan's forces destroy Baghdad, end the Abbasid Caliphate, and devastate the Islamic world's greatest center of learning.
Kublai Khan Founds the Yuan Dynasty
Kublai Khan declares a new Chinese-style dynasty — the Yuan — with its capital at Dadu (Beijing), ruling the easternmost Mongol khanate.
Marco Polo Arrives at Kublai's Court
The Venetian merchant Marco Polo reportedly arrives at Kublai Khan's court, beginning a 17-year stay that will produce history's most famous travel narrative.
Mongol Conquest of Southern China Complete
The last Song resistance falls. For the first time in history, all of China is ruled by a foreign dynasty.
Fall of the Yuan Dynasty
Chinese rebels under Zhu Yuanzhang expel the Mongols and found the Ming Dynasty, ending Mongol rule in China.