Kublai Khan

Kublai Khan, the thirteenth-century Mongolian prince who would one day become the emperor of China, remains a popular figure in history due to Coleridge's two famous lines of poetry. Yet, the reality behind this myth is even more extraordinary. He inherited the world's second largest land empire from his grandfather Genghis Khan, and then proceeded to expand it into the greatest empire the world has ever known. His realm spanned over sixty-percent of Asia and one-fifth of the entire world's land area. The West first learned of this powerful ruler through the reports of Marco Polo. Kublai did not come from a royal bloodline, but rather seized power in his 40s. He shared his grandfather's dream of world domination, but saw China as the key to achieving it and transformed Genghis' vast empire into a federation. Through his shrewd and diplomatic leadership, coupled with China's wealth, he established an empire that surpassed even the greatness