Zheng He's Treasure Fleet finally arrives on the African coast, and the Yongle Emperor celebrates the apex of his reign with the grand opening of Beijing and the Forbidden City. But dark clouds continue to build, but in the emperor's aged, troubled mind, and literally on the horizon... a storm is coming...

Time Period Covered:

1416-1424 CE

Major Historical Figures:

The Yongle Emperor (Zhu Di) [r. 1402-1424]

The Noble Consort Zhaoxian, née Wang [d. ca. 1420]

Grand Admiral Zheng He [1371-1435]

Mirza Sharukh, Sultan of the Timurid Dynasty [r. 1405-1447]

Major Works Cited:

Chan, Hok-lam. “The Yung-lo reign” in The Cambridge History of China, vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Pt. I.

Dreyer, Edward L. Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405-1433.

Levathes, Louise. When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne, 1405-1433.

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#222 - Ming 13: Trouble In Paradise