History of China/Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD - 1368 AD) was significant from a historical point of view, because it was the first non-Chinese ruled dynasty that managed to rule all of China. Instead, it was ruled by the Mongols. Founded by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, the Yuan Dynasty was short-lived compared to other dynasties, lasted only for 98 years. The Mongols separated the populace into classes, with the Chinese mostly in the lowest, yet they were sinicised as well, since they tried to adopt the Chinese method of ruling and accepted a lot of Chinese culture. The famed Marco Polo visited China during this period. It also solidified Beijing as a leading city in China.