Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan, (1216–1294), a Mongol emperor, founder of the Yüan, or Mongol, dynasty in China. Kublai was sovereign over a great empire that covered most of Asia and extended west to Russia, but in most regions his rule was in name only. His actual domain was rich and populous China. Marco Polo, who served under Kublai Khan, described him as being a wise, cultured, and tolerant ruler.
Kublai, a grandson of the conqueror Genghis Khan, became Great Khan in 1259, on his brother's death. By defeating the native Sung dynasty of southern China, he gained control of the entire nation in 1279. Later Kublai added Korea to his conquests, but failed in his attempts to subject Japan and Java. Kublai established a new capital city in 1264. It was called Khanbalik, or Cambaluc (city of the Khan), and forms part of modern-day Beijing.