1205 – 1279 · Mongol Empire vs Jin Dynasty vs Song Dynasty
Genghis Khan's successors conquered all of China (1205-1279), establishing Mongol Yuan Dynasty and demonstrating conquest's military supremacy.
Genghis Khan invaded the Jin Dynasty (northern China) in 1205. His successors continued conquest through 1279, when Kublai Khan completed the conquest of the Song Dynasty. China's population fell from 123 million (1200) to perhaps 60-80 million by 1300, due to warfare, massacre, and famine. Entire cities were razed; agricultural regions abandoned. Mongols adopted Chinese administrative practices but maintained military supremacy. Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) ruled until Han Chinese Ming dynasty restored Han rule.
Mongol conquest of China showed that military superiority could overcome civilizational advantage. The conquest killed tens of millions. Kublai Khan's establishment of Yuan Dynasty demonstrated foreign conquerors' need to adopt indigenous legitimacy. The Yuan Dynasty's eventual overthrow showed that foreign rule required cultural assimilation or would face persistent resistance. Modern China views the Mongol invasion as a cautionary tale of vulnerability. The conquest influenced Chinese nationalism and historical consciousness about defense against 'barbarian' invasion.
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