born 1215
died 1294
Grandson of Genghis Khan who conquered China and established the Yuan , or Mongol, dynasty.
His personal name was Shizu. When Kublai was in his 30s, his brother, the emperor Möngke , gave him the task of conquering and administering Marco Polo . Kublai repaired the {{link=Grand Canal">Grand Canal and public granaries and made Buddhism the state religion. Although his reign was one of great prosperity, his politics were pursued less successfully by his followers.
Kublai Khan; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei
By courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China