Rise and Fall of the Mongolian Empire

Temujin is elected Great Khan

1206

In 1206, Temujin was elected to lead a confederation of Mongolian tribes, including some of Turkish descent. Upon being elected he became known as Chingis Khan, which was eventually Westernized as Genghis Khan.
Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empire#/media/File:YuanEmperorAlbumGenghisPortrait.jpg

Genghis Khan conquers Xi Xia

1209

The first conquest of the Mongolian empire was the Xi Xia kingdom in northwestern China. The campaign ran from around 1205-1209 when the ruler of Xi Xia surrendered to Genghis Khan and agreed to vassalage.

Genghis Khan conquers the Jin Dynasty

1214

After conquering the Xi Xia, the Mongolian Empire began their next campaign against the Jin Dynasty in northern China which ran from around 1209-1214. The campaign concluded when the Jin ruler surrendered at the capital of Zhongdu.
However, Genghis Khan returned and sacked the city of Zhongdu in 1215 after the Jin emperor moved their capital to Kaifeng in the south.

Genghis Khan conquers the Khwarezmid Empire

1220

After a governor of a Khwarezmid city killed the members of a trade mission from Mongolia, and then refused to pay reparations, Genghis led the Mongolians to war with them. The Mongolians swept through the countryside and succeeded in sacking their capital of Samarkand in 1220.

The death of Genghis Khan

1227

Genghis died while on a military campaign against Xi Xia. It is believed he either died of being struck by an arrow or of the infection from the wound. He lived from 1158-1227.
Image Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/artinhistory/mongolian-empire/

Ogedei Khan becomes the second Great Khan of the Mongolian Empire

1229

Ogedei was the third son of Genghis. His coronation was held in 1229, and he expanded the empire even further. The regency was held by his younger brother, Tolui, until his coronation.
Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96gedei_Khan#/media/File:YuanEmperorAlbumOgedeiPortrait.jpg

Mongolian Empire conquers Persia

1231

In 1230, a general of Ogedei's named Chormaqan began a campaign against the remnants of the Khwarezmed Empire, and succeeded in eliminating the rest of them in 1231. Chormaqan also succeeded in forcing the rest of Persia to submit to the Mongolian Empire.

Ogedei conquers the last of the Jin Dynasty

1232

Ogedei returns to the Jin Dynasty on a military campaign in 1230, capturing their capital of Kaifeng, south of what they had previously conquered, in 1232. The remnants of the dynasty collapse in 1234.

The death of Ogedei Khan

1241

Ogedei, who suffered from alcoholism for the majority of his life, died of alcohol poisoning after a late night of drinking with Abd-ur-Rahman.

Mongke Khan is elected to rule the Mongolian Empire

1251

There was a difficult and contested time after Ogedei's death while they attempted to elect a new Great Khan. Ogedei's widow ruled as regent from 1242-1246, until her son Guyuk was elected. However, Guyuk died only 2 years later in 1248, leaving the position empty again. His widow led the regency until 1251, when Mongke Khan was elected. Mongke was the son of Tolui.
Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6ngke_Khan#/media/File:Mongke.jpg

The Mongolian Empire conquers Iraq

1258

Mongke sent his brother Hulegu on a campaign in the middle east in 1255. By 1258, Hulegu took the capital of Baghdad and killed the last of the Abbasid caliph.

The Mongolian Empire reaches the shores of the Mediterranean

1259

In 1259 Hulegu continued into Syria, taking the cities of Damascus and Aleppo, allowing the Mongolian borders to stretch all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.
Further progress into Egypt was stopped in 1260 by a devastating defeat at the hands of the Mamluk army.

The death of Mongke Khan

1259

Similar to the death of Genghis, Mongke died while on campaign in China. It is debated whether his death was caused by an arrow or crossbow bolt, or by an outbreak of disease in the Mongolian camps. Mongke was noted for his improvements in administration in the Mongolian Empire.
Mongke's death led to the outbreak of the Toluid Civil war between Kublai and Arigboge, who both declared themselves khan.

Kublai Khan becomes the new Great Khan

1260

After securing his rule after the Toluid Civil War, Kublai focused his efforts on China, uniting the area under Mongolian rule and creating his own dynasty.
Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kublai_Khan#/media/File:YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait.jpg

Toluid Civil War

Period: 1260 to 1264

After the death of Mongke Khan, Arigboge declared himself khan in the capital of Karakorum, while Kublai did the same while on campaign in China. The resulting civil war ran for 4 years and ended with the victory going to Kublai and a purge of Arigboge's supporters. The civil war caused a permanent fracture in the Mongolian Empire, as well as reduced the authority of the Great Khan over the other Khanates.

The Yuan Dynasty is established

1271

Kublai Khan founds the Yuan Dynasty end establishes himself as the emperor of China to help unite the Chinese peoples. He also moves the Mongolian capital to Dadu, or Khanbaliq, which becomes modern-day Beijing.

Defeat of the Song Dynasty

1279

Kublai Khan succeeds in fully uniting China under him and the Yuan Dynasty with the defeat of the Song Dynasty in 1279. The Mongolian Empire becomes the first non-Chinese Empire to unite China.

Nayan's Rebellion

1289

Nayan, a 4th-generation son of one of Genghis' brothers, instigated a rebellion in 1287. Nayan was captured and killed in Manchuria, while the rebellion went on intermittently until 1289. Every time rebel forces would appear, they would be abruptly destroyed.

The death of Kublai Khan

1294

Kublai died of old age and failing health in 1294. He had succeeded in bringing all of China under the Mongolian Empire's rule, as well as made many improvements for the citizens of his rule, such as being responsible for the building of many public schools over the course of his reign.
After the death of Kublai, the Empire increasingly fell apart over the years.
Image Credit: http://www.worldtreasuresblog.org/2015/09/kublai-khans-birthday.html

Temur Khan becomes the next Great Khan and Yuan Emperor

1295

Shortly before dying, Kublai officially declared his grandson Temur as his successor, leading to Temur becoming both the sixth Great Khan of the Mongolian Empire and the second emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. His status as Great Khan is considered "nominal" due to the fractured state the Mongolian Empire was in. He had little authority over the other khanates.
Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tem%C3%BCr_Khan#/media/File:YuanEmperorAlbumTemurOljeituPortrait.jpg