Kublai Khan and the Mongol Rule of China — Fexingo History

In 1292, Kublai Khan launched a naval expedition against the kingdom of Singhasari on the island of Java—one of the most ambitious and least-known campaigns of the Mongol Yuan dynasty. This episode digs into the geopolitics of maritime Southeast Asia, the role of the Mongol-allied kingdom of Champa, the cunning Javanese king Jayakatwang, and the Mongol commander Shi-bi. We explore how the Mongol f...

In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire turned its gaze toward the Korean peninsula. But Kublai Khan's relationship with Goryeo was not a simple conquest—it was a tangled story of coercion, marriage alliances, cultural exchange, and exploitation. This episode unpacks how Goryeo became a vassal state, the brutal Mongol invasions that preceded it, the 'son-in-law' system that bound royal families, an...

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Mongol Yam — the empire-spanning postal relay system that Kublai Khan inherited and expanded across Yuan China. They trace its origins under Genghis Khan, its rapid horse stations and paiza passes, and how Marco Polo marvelled at its efficiency. They discuss the economic burden on local populations who had to supply horses and grain, a...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Kublai Khan's lesser-known passion for polo, or 'jiju' in Chinese. They discuss how the Mongol ruler imported the game from Persia, built dedicated polo fields in Dadu (modern Beijing), and even organized grand tournaments that blended steppe traditions with Chinese ceremony. The conversation touches on the Yuan Shi records of polo, the role of the game in M...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the Mongol invasions of Japan under Kublai Khan, focusing on the two failed attempts in 1274 and 1281. They explore the military strategies, the role of the Kamakura shogunate under Hōjō Tokimune, the samurai defense at Hakata Bay, and the legendary kamikaze typhoons that destroyed the Mongol fleets. The conversation also touches on the political context o...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Kublai Khan's revolutionary paper money system, which transformed the Yuan dynasty economy. They discuss how the chao, backed by silver reserves and enforced by imperial decree, became the first widespread fiat currency in world history. Lucas explains the role of the Yuan Ministry of Finance, the management of inflation through careful issuance, and the imp...

Kublai Khan's reign over China is often told through his military campaigns or his administrative innovations. But what about the Chinese scholar-officials who refused to serve the Mongol court? This episode of Fexingo History examines the phenomenon of yi min — 'leftover subjects' — Song loyalists who chose reclusion, poetry, and painting over collaboration with the Yuan dynasty. We explore the l...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into Kublai Khan's two failed invasions of Japan, exploring the dramatic battles of Bun'ei (1274) and Kōan (1281). They discuss the Mongol fleet's devastating typhoons, the defensive strategies of the Kamakura shogunate under Hōjō Tokimune, and the iconic Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba scrolls. The conversation also touches on the political and economic consequences for b...

In this episode, we explore Kublai Khan's conversion to Tibetan Buddhism and his appointment of the Sakya lama Drogön Chögyal Phagpa as Imperial Preceptor. Phagpa created the 'Phagspa script' for writing Mongolian, Chinese, and other languages, and his relationship with Kublai shaped Yuan religious policy. We discuss the rivalry between Buddhists and Daoists at court, the 1281 Buddhist-Daoist deba...

Before the modern era, Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty attempted a radical economic experiment: replacing metal coinage with paper money as the sole legal tender. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the origins of Mongol paper currency, from the Chinese tradition of 'flying cash' to the Yuan's forced nationwide adoption of chao. They discuss how the government backed the notes with silver reserves,...

When Kublai Khan conquered China, he brought the Mongol steppe with him—literally. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vast imperial hunting parks that Kublai built around his new capital of Dadu (modern Beijing). These weren't just pleasure grounds; they were carefully managed ecosystems stocked with deer, pheasants, hawks, leopards, and even imported giraffes. We trace the parks' roots i...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the remarkable achievements of Guo Shoujing, the Yuan dynasty astronomer and engineer who built the Great Water Clock for Kublai Khan's new capital at Dadu. They discuss how Guo Shoujing designed the Lingtai astronomical observatory, created the precision instrument known as the simplified armilla, and reformed the calendar to produce the accurate Shoushi Li...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Kublai Khan's most enduring infrastructure project: the rebuilding and extension of China's Grand Canal. While earlier episodes have covered Kublai's military campaigns, financial reforms, and administrative innovations, this one dives into the engineering marvel that linked the new capital Dadu (modern Beijing) with the rice-rich Yangzi Delta. They discuss...

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna revisit Kublai Khan's disastrous campaign against Đại Việt, focusing on the 1288 Battle of Bạch Đằng River. They explore the strategic genius of General Trần Hưng Đạo, who lured the Mongol fleet into a trap of hidden iron-tipped stakes, and the role of Trần Nhân Tông's guerrilla tactics. The conversation also examines the political fallout: the fa...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the pivotal five-year siege of Xiangyang (1268–1273), the fortress city that held the key to Kublai Khan's conquest of Song China. They discuss how Mongol engineers recruited from the Middle East built massive counterweight trebuchets — the hui hui pao — that shattered Xiangyang's walls. They examine the roles of the Southern Song commander Lü Wenhuan, the M...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into Kublai Khan's two massive invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281, exploring the political, military, and environmental factors that led to the Mongol Yuan dynasty's devastating defeats. They examine the Kamakura shogunate's defensive preparations under Hōjō Tokimune, the construction of the Hakata Bay stone wall, and the fierce samurai resistance. The conver...

In Episode 110, Lucas and Luna revisit the Mongol incursion into Southeast Asia, focusing on the 1277 invasion of the Pagan Empire (modern Burma). They explore the strategic blunders, the use of war elephants against Mongol cavalry, the political fragmentation within Pagan, and the long-term consequences for the region. The episode details the battle of Ngasaunggyan, the role of Nasr al-Din, and t...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known front of Kublai Khan's reign: the protracted conflict with his cousin Kaidu of the Chagatai Khanate. Kaidu, a grandson of Ögedei, refused to accept Kublai's authority and fought a decades-long war that drained Yuan resources and shaped the Mongol Empire's fragmentation. They discuss the 1268 uprising, the battles of Almaliq and Beshbalik, Kubl...

Have you ever wondered how the Mongol Empire governed its vast, diverse territories under Kublai Khan? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Yassa — the legendary legal code attributed to Genghis Khan — and how it was adapted and applied in Yuan Dynasty China. They discuss the origins of the Yassa, its blend of customary steppe law and Chinese legal traditions, the role of the censorate and...

After conquering Song China, Kublai Khan faced an immense challenge: how to govern a vast population of perhaps 100 million people. This episode explores the Yuan dynasty's unprecedented census, a massive bureaucratic undertaking that tracked households, assessed taxes, and classified subjects into hereditary occupational groups. We follow the census-takers who fanned out across the empire, the re...

In 1277, Kublai Khan launched a massive invasion of the Pagan Empire (modern Myanmar) to secure tribute and expand Mongol control. This episode dives into the motivations behind the campaign, the military strategies employed, and the pivotal Battle of Ngasaunggyan, where Mongol cavalry faced war elephants for the first time. We explore why the Mongols succeeded despite the terrain, the role of the...

In 1292, Kublai Khan launched a massive naval expedition to the island of Java, seeking to punish a defiant king and extend Mongol dominion over the spice-rich archipelago. This episode recounts the dramatic story of the Yuan fleet's voyage, the political intrigue of the Javanese courts, and the ultimate betrayal that turned a conquest into a desperate retreat. We explore the motives behind the in...

When Kublai Khan conquered China, he didn't just rely on Mongol generals or Chinese scholars. He turned to a surprising group: Muslim administrators from Central Asia and Persia. These men — financiers, engineers, astronomers, and governors — became the backbone of the Yuan dynasty's bureaucracy. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how figures like Ahmad Fanakati and Sayyid Ajall Shams al-Din...

In 1282, Kublai Khan sent a fleet to the coast of Champa, a kingdom in modern-day central Vietnam, expecting a quick submission. Instead, the Mongols found themselves bogged down in a guerrilla war in the tropical jungle, facing the Cham king Jaya Indravarman VI, who refused to come to the Yuan court. This episode follows the Mongol commander Sogetu, a Korean-born general who had served in the inv...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive deep into Kublai Khan's two failed invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281. They explore the Mongol fleet's devastating typhoons, the samurai defense led by the Hōjō regency, and the lasting legend of the kamikaze or 'divine wind.' Lucas explains the strategic blunders, the fortress walls at Hakata Bay, and how Japan's refusal to submit changed the course of East A...