The Mongols were a ruthless, controlling power in Asia during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries with a gargantuan empire that expanded across essentially the entire continent. The impact of their rule formed a lasting impact on states centuries after its collapse in 1368. Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty involving cutting of and methods of ruling such as keeping traditions of Confucianism and squandering money greatly influenced China and the Ming dynasty culturally, demographically, politically and economically.
This state was united by a simple tribesman among the steppe named Temujin. After his father was poisoned by political enemies, he began developing a personal following, which quickly expanded over numerous rival tribes. Over time, Temujin gradually persuaded his people to elect him as leader. After overcoming his nomadic rivals, he drew them into a united nation. In 1206, his followers gave him the name Genghis (Chinggis) Khan, or “Universal Ruler”.
In 1210, Genghis Khan invaded the Xi Xia kingdom and forced it to pay tribute. The Mongols, gaining all of the territory north of the Yellow River, now controlled the northern trade of horses that the Song depended on, leaving them with a supply that was small, weak, and infested with disease. Meanwhile, Mongols adapted to the watery terrain by developing a navy. These forces combined limited the Song to only the edges of south China. The dynasty officially fell in 1279, when the last child-emperor was killed