On one of Marco Polo's journeys, he encountered a ruler who would remain etched in his memory for life. This leader wasn't just a warrior but a statesman, a visionary, and an empire builder. His name?

The name "Yuan" means "Origin of the universe," and while the Yuan Dynasty didn't last long, its influence proved far more profound. Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, inherited a fractured but ...