As the Yuan dynasty reaches the second half of its span, the empire begins an irreversible decline. The factional struggle between the Confucian faction and the Mongol traditionalists culminates into the assassination of emperor Shadbal, Gegeen Khan, in the Nanpo coup. His successor, Yesün Temür, must face the rise of natural disasters and popular revolts, and leaves the Yuan dynasty in a pitiful state by the time of his premature death. Although his 6-year-old son Arigibagh succeeds him, general El Temür instates a coup, enthroning his puppet Tugh Temur and overthrowing the child emperor in the costly war of the two capitals.

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= MUSIC =
Total War Attila – The Day of Rekoning
Total War Shogun 2 – Resolve
Khitan Daur Folk Song
Total War Three Kingdoms – Oath of the Peach Garden
Total War Three Kingdoms – Besieged
Civilization V - Genghis Khan peace theme
Civilization VI - Mongolia Ambient Tovshuur
Mongol Court Music of the Khans
Total War Shogun 2 – Crystal Temple
Drought - Music from Quantum Frequencies and Xingu Indians
Lost in the Forest
Total War Attila – Main menu theme
Total War Attila – Settlers of the Apocalypse
Total War Attila – The Will of Tengri
Total War Shogun 2 – Falling Thunder
Civilization V - Genghis Khan war theme
The Loyalist - Lotus Lane

= VIDEO CREDITS =
再生緣 Eternal Happiness (2002)
Empress Ki (2013)
Mongol (2007)

= MAIN SOURCES =
The Cambridge History of China - Volume 6 (1994), Denis Twitchett & John King Fairbank
A Short History of the Mongols (2018) George Lane
From Military Leaders to Administrative Experts: The Biography of the “Treacherous Minister” Temüder and his Ancestors (2017) Wonhee Cho
History of the Mongols: From the 9th to the 19th Century the mongols proper and the kalmuyks (1876) Henry H. Howorth

= TAGS =
Yuan dynasty documentary
decline of the Yuan dynasty
John of Montecorvino
Gegeen Khan
Yesun Temur
History of China
El Temur
War of the two capitals

Introduction: (0:00)
Context: (00:49)
Shadbal’s early reign: (02:00)
The Zhizhi reform: (04:30)
The Nanpo coup: (06:27)
Yesün Temür’s leadership: (08:52)
Diplomacy: (11:29)
The beginning of troubles: (13:52)
The rise of El Temür: (17:20)
The War of the Two Capitals: (20:11)
Conclusion: (23:57)