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The [[Mongols|Mongol]] Yuan Dynasty was the first foreign dynasty to rule over all of China. Founded by [[Kubilai Khan]] in [[1271]], the Yuan took [[Hangzhou]] (the capital of the [[Southern Song Dynasty]]) in [[1276]], and had complete control of China by [[1279]]. The dynasty eventually fell to a peasant rebellion, the [[Han Chinese]] leader of which then established the [[Ming Dynasty]] in [[1368]].

The [[Mongols|Mongol]] Yuan Dynasty was the first foreign dynasty to rule over all of China. Founded by [[Kubilai Khan]] in [[1271]], the Yuan took [[Hangzhou]] (the capital of the [[Southern Song Dynasty]]) in [[1276]], and had complete control of China by [[1279]]. The dynasty eventually fell to a peasant rebellion, the [[Han Chinese]] leader of which then established the [[Ming Dynasty]] in [[1368]].

The Yuan Court established a new capital at Dadu; this marks the origins of the city that is later renamed [[Beijing]]. The Court maintained various elements of the nomadic Mongol traditions and identity, while also adopting many elements of Chinese culture and ways of doing things. A dual government on the [[Liao Dynasty|Liao]] model was put into place, in which both Mongol and Chinese modes of rule and administration were employed, governing the two separate populations. The government was headed by a chancellor, who was second in authority only to the Emperor, and who oversaw the Six Boards of government: the Boards of Rites, Revenue, Civil Appointments, War, Punishments, and Public Works. Towards the end of the dynasty, this chancellor came to exercise more ''de facto'' power than the emperor himself.

The Yuan Court established a new capital at Dadu (C: "Great Capital"); this marks the origins of the city that is later renamed [[Beijing]]. The Court maintained various elements of the nomadic Mongol traditions and identity, while also adopting many elements of Chinese culture and ways of doing things. A dual government on the [[Liao Dynasty|Liao]] model was put into place, in which both Mongol and Chinese modes of rule and administration were employed, governing the two separate populations. The government was headed by a chancellor, who was second in authority only to the Emperor, and who oversaw the Six Boards of government: the Boards of Rites, Revenue, Civil Appointments, War, Punishments, and Public Works. Towards the end of the dynasty, this chancellor came to exercise more ''de facto'' power than the emperor himself.

A tiered system of social status was implemented based on ethnicity, with Mongols at the top, other nomadic peoples next, followed by Han Chinese from northern China, and then, on the bottom, Han Chinese from southern China, who comprised roughly 80 percent of the population of the Yuan Empire. Han Chinese throughout the empire were forbidden from riding horses, possessing firearms, speaking the Mongol language, or intermarrying with Mongols. Many Chinese scholar-officials retreated to the countryside, excluded from government service, and philosophically opposed to serving under barbarian invaders in any case. The [[Chinese imperial examinations|Confucian civil service exams]] were discontinued after the Mongol invasion, not being brought back into use until a generation later, in [[1315]].

A tiered system of social status was implemented based on ethnicity, with Mongols at the top, other nomadic peoples next, followed by Han Chinese from northern China, and then, on the bottom, Han Chinese from southern China, who comprised roughly 80 percent of the population of the Yuan Empire. Non-Han peoples, including not only Mongols, but also Jews, Armenians, Nestorians, Turks, Persians, Tibetans, Muslims, [[Jurchens]], [[Khitan]], and [[Tanguts]] enjoyed a higher political status.<ref name=elman>Robert Tignor, [[Benjamin Elman]], et al, ''Worlds Together, Worlds Apart'', vol B, Fourth Edition, W.W. Norton & Co (2014), 398-399.</ref> Han Chinese throughout the empire were forbidden from riding horses, possessing firearms, speaking the Mongol language, or intermarrying with Mongols. Many Chinese scholar-officials retreated to the countryside, excluded from government service, and philosophically opposed to serving under barbarian invaders in any case. The [[Chinese imperial examinations|Confucian civil service exams]] were discontinued after the Mongol invasion, not being brought back into use until a generation later, in [[1315]].

The dynasty practiced considerable religious tolerance, however; Tibetan Buddhism was adopted as the religion of the Court and of the state, but Nestorian Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and other religions were well tolerated within the empire.

The dynasty practiced considerable religious tolerance, however; Tibetan Buddhism was adopted as the religion of the Court and of the state, but Nestorian Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and other religions were well tolerated within the empire.