Images

The Hongwu Emperor, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644 CE) who reigned from 1368 to 1398 CE. 14th century CE painted silk hanging.

A bronze coin of Zhu Yuanzhang, the future Hongwu Emperor (r. 1368-1398 CE) who was the founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE).

A modern statue of the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan (l. 1215-1294 CE). Sukhbaatar Square, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

A sculpture depicting the Venetian explorer Marco Polo who famously travelled to China between 1271 and 1295 CE. (Villa Borghese, Rome)

This map illustrates Marco Polo's travels (1271 - 1295), which spanned vast regions of Asia, including the Middle East, Central Asia, and China, where he served at the court of Kublai Khan. Polo journeyed along the Silk Road, encountering...

Abd al-Rahman III Receiving the Ambassador by Dionisio Baixeras Verdaguer (1862–1943 CE). Oil on canvas, 1885 CE. University of Barcelona

Caliphal palace at Madinat al-Zahra, near Cordoba, Spain, built by Abd al-Rahman III (r. 912-961 CE).

Caliphal palace at Madinat al-Zahra, near Cordoba, Spain, built by Abd al-Rahman III (r. 912-961 CE).

The Moabite Stone, an ancient tablet dating to around 850 BCE, written by Mesha, the king of Moab (modern Jordan). (Louvre Museum, Paris)

A detail of the Moabite Stone, an ancient tablet dating to around 850 BCE, written by Mesha, the king of Moab (modern Jordan). (Louvre Museum, Paris)