Kublai Khan moves his capital to Dadu

1264

Having beaten Ariq Boke, Kublai ordered the construction of a new Chinese-style capital on the site of modern Beijing. Dadu, the great capital, with its rectangular walls, avenues, and palace complex, announced his intention to rule China as an emperor, not a steppe khan. Marco Polo would marvel at its size and splendor, describing a city of geometrical precision unlike anything in medieval Europe.