Tumu Crisis: The Mongols capture the Emperor of China.

Tumu Crisis

1449 Ming China-Oirat Mongols conflict

The Crisis of the Tumu Fortress, also known as the Tumu Crisis, or the Jisi Incident, was a border conflict between the Oirat Mongols and the Ming dynasty. In July 1449, Esen Taishi, leader of the Oirat Mongols, launched a large-scale, three-pronged invasion of China. Despite…

Mongol Empire

Empire in Eurasia

The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to Eastern Europe, extending northward into the Arctic; east and southward into the Indian subcontinent,…

Emperor of China

Throughout Chinese history, "Emperor" was the superlative title held by the monarchs of imperial China's various dynasties. In traditional Chinese political theory, the emperor was the "Son of Heaven", an autocrat with the divine mandate to rule all under Heaven. Emperors were…