History Schmistory: May 5. Kublai Elected Khan

1260. Grandson of the infamous Genghis Khan, Kublai was also a man of military skill. He conquered China and established the Mongol dynasty, unifying the nation for the first time since the T’ang regime. Though a nomadic warrior, he became an emperor in the Chinese tradition and earned the respect of the Chinese as well as the Mongols. Marco Polo claims to have met him in 1274.