East and Southeast Asia from 500 C.E. to 1500 C.E.

The Yuan Dynasty was established by Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis) in 1271 in China. The reign of the Yuan Dynasty lasted a little short of a hundred years before the Mongolians packed up and went home to rule over the much more manageable territory of Mongolia. It was replaced by the long-lasting Ming Dynasty.

The Uyan Dynasty (also called the Yuan Dynasty) was founded by the Mongolian warlord Kublai Khan in 1271. Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan, and he inherited a large swathe of Genghis’ massive territorial conquests. Kublai Khan established his capital at Beijing and proceeded to conquer and unify the rest of (what was at the time) China.

The Khmer Empire was the dominant political power in Southeast Asia from the ninth century C.E. to the fifteenth century. The empire arose in modern-day Cambodia and at various times spread to incorporate parts of modern-day Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Famous Khmer rules include Jayavarman II and Suryavarman II.

The Mandate of Heaven was a government philosophy in China. The Mandate of Heaven effectively states that the Chinese Emperor is divinely chosen and supported.

The Battle of Talas (751 C.E.) is an important battle in determining the direction of human history. It was fought between the westward expanding Tang Dynasty of China and the eastward expanding Muslim Caliphate of the Abbasids. It resulted in overwhelming victory for the Abbasids and halted the westward expansion of China permanently. It also allowed Islam to spread into Central Asia relatively unopposed and ensured Abbasid control of the Silk Road.

Genghis Khan conquered most of Asia and portions of the Middle East, establishing the massive Mongol Empire by his death in 1227 from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea. Less than a hundred years later, his grandsons and eventual successors began fighting among themselves, dissolving into multiple Mongol principalities.

The Chinese Mandate of Heaven suggests that the Chinese Emperor is divinely ordained to rule. This has the obvious implication that to challenge the power of the emperor would mean challenging someone with divine support. In Europe, this same philosophy was prevalent for much of the Middle Ages and the early period of Reformation. In Europe it was called "the divine right of kings."

The Yuan Dynasty ruled China from 1271-1368 and is notable for being the first dynasty established by foreigners in China. It was ruled by Mongolians, first under the famous Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis).

For several centuries Japanese society operated under a feudal structure very similar to that of Europe during the same time period. Vast areas were ruled over by daimyos who owned land and owed allegiance (in theory) only to the shogun. The samurai fought for the daimyo and the peasants worked the land.