Which 13th-century Mongol ruler established the Yuan dynasty in China?

Kublai Khan established the Yuan dynasty in China.

Kublai, a grandson of Genghis Khan, became Great Khan in 1260 after a succession struggle. He completed the Mongol conquest of the Southern Song in 1279 and founded the Yuan dynasty in 1271, ruling China from the capital at Khanbaliq, present-day Beijing.

His reign helped create conditions for increased movement across much of Eurasia. Mongol political control, protected routes, relay stations, and diplomatic links enabled merchants, envoys, and travelers to cross regions that had previously been divided among rival states.

Kublai Khan is often treated as if he personally created the entire Mongol Empire, but the empire began with Genghis Khan and later fragmented into several khanates. Kublai’s Yuan state was its eastern imperial successor.