After Genghis Khan's death in 1227, his third son Ögedei Khan was elected as the second Great Khan. Ögedei continued his father’s vision by further expanding the empire and consolidating control over newly conquered lands.

Under Ögedei's leadership, the Mongols completed the conquest of the Jin dynasty in northern China and launched successful campaigns into Eastern Europe, including the invasion of Hungary and Poland. He also established the empire's capital at Karakorum, which became a political and cultural center.

Ögedei focused on administration, improving infrastructure such as roads and relay stations that facilitated communication and trade throughout the empire.

Möngke Khan and Kublai Khan: The Division and the Yuan Dynasty

The mid-13th century saw the empire at its greatest extent under the rule of Möngke Khan, Genghis Khan’s grandson, who reigned from 1251 to 1259. Möngke worked to unify the administration and launched major military campaigns, including the final stages of the conquest of the Song dynasty in southern China.

Following Möngke's death, a succession struggle ensued, eventually leading to the rise of Kublai Khan, another grandson of Genghis Khan. Kublai moved the capital to what is now Beijing and founded the Yuan dynasty in 1271, marking the first time China was ruled by a foreign dynasty.

Kublai Khan completed the conquest of the Song dynasty by 1279 and thus controlled the whole of China. His reign saw the blending of Mongol and Chinese cultures and the expansion of the Silk Road, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between East and West. shutdown123