How was Genghis Khan finally defeated? What happened to his empire? Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, died in 1227. However, he was not defeated in battle, but rather succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall from his horse during a military campaign against the Western Xia dynasty. After his death, Genghis Khan’s empire was not immediately dismantled; instead, it continued to expand under the leadership of his successors.
Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan, eventually completed the conquest of China and established the Yuan Dynasty in 1271. The Mongol Empire reached its zenith under Kublai Khan, encompassing a vast territory that stretched from Eastern Europe to East Asia.
Over time, internal strife, rebellions, and external pressures took a toll on the Mongol Empire. After Kublai Khan’s death in 1294, the empire gradually weakened. The Yuan Dynasty faced numerous challenges, including economic difficulties, resentment from the Chinese population, and military defeats. In 1368, the Ming Dynasty emerged as a result of a successful rebellion against Mongol rule in China.
In other parts of the Mongol Empire, such as the Ilkhanate in the Middle East and the Golden Horde in Eastern Europe, similar patterns of decline and fragmentation occurred. By the end of the 14th century, the once-mighty Mongol Empire had disintegrated into several smaller khanates and territories, each ruled by different descendants of Genghis Khan. These successor states continued to exist for several centuries, but none reached the same level of power and unity as the original Mongol Empire.
