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Xiang Li Traditional Chinese Watercolor

Yuan Dynasty · 1271 – 1368

Khutughtu Khan — Emperor Mingzong of Yuan

元明宗

“Emperor for six months, on the steppe, and never reached the capital”

Külüg Khan's son, in exile in Central Asia for a decade, called back by his younger brother to take the throne he had been promised. He was proclaimed north of the Gobi, started south, and died at a meeting with his brother — poisoned, on every account.

His two sons both became emperor afterwards, which is the only reason he has a temple name at all.

His empress Babusha, of the Naiman, was killed on the dowager's order not long after him.

The empress of this reign

Painted on silk in gemstone mineral pigments by Xiang Li.

About this page

Written for this site to place Mingzong's reign around the paintings. For the full biography, the dynastic histories and the scholarship behind them, start at Wikipedia.

Every Yuan emperor

Reign Emperor Painted empresses
1260 – 1294 Kublai 元世祖 Kublai 忽必烈
1294 – 1307 Chengzong 元成宗 Temür 鐵穆耳 / 铁穆耳
1307 – 1311 Wuzong 元武宗 Khayishan 海山
1311 – 1320 Renzong 元仁宗 Ayurbarwada 愛育黎拔力八達 / 爱育黎拔力八达
1320 – 1323 Yingzong 元英宗 Shidebala 碩德八剌 / 硕德八剌
1323 – 1328 Taiding 泰定帝 Yesün Temür 也孫鐵木兒 / 也孙铁木儿
1328, one month Tianshun 天順帝 / 天顺帝 Ragibagh 阿速吉八
1328 – 1332 Wenzong 元文宗 Tugh Temür 圖帖睦爾 / 图帖睦尔
1329, 184 days Mingzong 元明宗 Kusala 和世㻋
1332, 53 days Ningzong 元寧宗 / 元宁宗 Rinchinbal 懿璘質班 / 懿璘质班
1333 – 1368 Huizong (Shun) 元惠宗 · 元順帝 / 元惠宗 · 元顺帝 Toghon Temür 妥懽帖睦爾 / 妥懽帖睦尔