Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE) (Untold Chinese History - Ming Dynasty) Kindle Edition

What happens when a barefoot beggar rises to claim the Dragon Throne and build an empire that dominates the world's oceans?January 1368. In Nanjing's incense-filled throne room, forty-year-old Zhu Yuanzhang lifts the jade imperial seal with calloused hands that once begged for rice. Ninety-seven years of Mongol rule end in a single proclamation.From this peasant emperor's vision springs the Ming Dynasty: treasure fleets of 300 ships crossing the Indian Ocean, the Forbidden City rising from the labor of one million workers, and the Great Wall rebuilt across 4,000 miles of mountain terrain. Yet isolation, corruption, and drought ultimately unravel what ambition created, until a final emperor hangs himself as rebel armies breach Beijing's gates.This sweeping narrative reveals how a single dynasty shaped China's relationship with the world for centuries. The monuments they built still stand. The questions they faced still echo.Discover the rise and fall of imperial ambition in The Dynasty That Ruled the Seas. Read more