12 Ming Dynasty

Ming Dynasty

Zhu Yuanzhang claimed the Mandate of Heaven in 1368 and established the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty ruled their empire for almost 300 years, prospered from freer private trade and industry and with trade with Europeans, and then it fell due to internal rebellions and the attack of the Manchus.

he Beginning of the Ming Dynasty

During the final 40 years of the Yuan Dynasty era (1279–1368), there were famines, drought, flooding on the Yellow River, a bubonic plague pandemic, and other natural disasters. Perhaps tens of millions of people died, and these disasters were seen as signs that the Yuan Dynasty had lost the Mandate of Heaven.

This ancient political doctrine encouraged people to rebel. Starting in the 1350s, there were almost 20 years of rebellions. The Yuan troops tried to quell the rebellions, but they grew in size, and rebel armies started holding cities and large tracts of territory.

These armies became large and powerful. A powerful army south of the Yangtze River was led by Zhu Yuanzhang.