Kublai Khan, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder and first emperor of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China. He proclaimed the dynastic name "Great Yuan" in 1271, and ruled Yuan China until his death in 1294.
Portrait of young Kublai by Araniko, a Nepali artist in Kublai's court
Kublai Khan was chosen by his many supporters to become the next Great Khan at the Grand Kurultai in the year 1260. Kublai Khan and His Empress Enthroned, from a Jami al-Twarikh (or Chingiznama). Mughal dynasty, Reign of Akbar, 1596. Mughal Court. Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper. India. Freer Gallery of Art. F1954.31 [1]
Kublai Khan in the Catalan Atlas (1375). The caption reads: "The most powerful prince of the Tartars is named Holubeim [Kubilay Khan], that means Great Khan. This emperor is richer than any other emperor in the world. This emperor is protected by twelve thousand horsemen with their four captains that stay at the court three months of the year."
Genghis Khan, also Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire, which he ruled from 1206 until his death in 1227; it later became the largest contiguous empire in history. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongol tribes, he launched a series of military campaigns, conquering large parts of China and Central Asia.
1908 edition of the Secret History of the Mongols
15th-century copy of the Jami' al-tawarikh by Rashid al-Din Hamadani
The Onon River, near which Temüjin was born, pictured here in Khentii Province, Mongolia