Xanadu (aka Shangdu, Shang-tu, and Kaiping) located in Inner Mongolia, northern China, was first the capital (1263-73) and then the summer capital (1274-1364) of the Mongol Empire. It came to prominence during the reign of Kublai Khan (r. 1260-1294) and was famous for its palaces, gardens and waterways.
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Definition
Timeline
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1206 - 1368The Mongol Empire rules in Central and East Asia.
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1260 - 1294Reign of Kublai Khan, ruler of the Mongol Empire.
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1263 - 1273Xanadu is the capital of the Mongol Empire.
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1274 - 1364Xanadu is the summer capital of the Mongol Empire.
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c. 1275 - 1292Marco Polo serves Kublai Khan in Mongol Yuan Dynasty China.
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1430The city of Xanadu, once the capital of the Mongol Empire, is definitively abandoned.
