Yongle Emperor's Reign, Capital Move and Imperial Campaigns (1402–1424)

1. Yan forces capture Nanjing; Yongle takes throne

   Jul 13, 1402Labels: Zhu Di, Nanjing, Jingnan War

   • Britannica
   • Jingnan

2. Fang Xiaoru executed in early Yongle purge

   Jul 25, 1402Labels: Fang Xiaoru, Confucian scholar

   • Fang Xiaoru
   • WHE Yongle

3. Yongle commissions the Yongle Encyclopedia

   Jan 1, 1403Labels: Yongle Encyclopedia, Imperial court

   • WDL
   • Britannica

4. Beijing designated secondary capital (Shuntian)

   Feb 1, 1403Labels: Beijing, Shuntian

   • Yongle
   • Yongle era

5. Mass relocations support Beijing’s buildout

   Jan 1, 1404Labels: Relocations, Shanxi

   • Yongle
   • Yongle era

6. Zheng He’s first treasure voyage departs

   Jan 1, 1405Labels: Zheng He, Treasure voyages

   • Britannica
   • Treasure

7. Forbidden City construction begins in Beijing

   Jan 1, 1406Labels: Forbidden City, Beijing

   • Forbidden City
   • Palace Museum

8. Ming invasion of Đại Ngu begins

   May 11, 1406Labels: Ming invasion, i Ngu

   • i Ngu
   • Ming Vi t

9. Ming conquest completes; Jiaozhi annexation proclaimed

   Jun 17, 1407Labels: Jiaozhi, H dynasty

   • i Ngu
   • Ming Vi t

10. Empress Xu dies, weakening an internal counterweight

    Aug 6, 1407Labels: Empress Xu, Inner court

    • Empress Xu
    • Britannica

11. Yongle Encyclopedia compilation completed

    Jan 1, 1408Labels: Yongle Encyclopedia, Scholars

    • Britannica
    • Yongle Dadian

12. First major Mongol expedition: victories in Mongolia

    Mar 25, 1410Labels: Yongle, Eastern Mongols

    • Mongol Campaigns
    • Britannica

13. Second Mongol expedition targets the Oirats

    Apr 6, 1414Labels: Oirats, Mongol expedition

    • Mongol Campaigns
    • Britannica

14. Grand Canal grain-transport laws issued

    Jan 1, 1415Labels: Grand Canal, Grain transport

    • UW Press

15. Eastern Depot (eunuch secret police) established

    Jan 1, 1420Labels: Eastern Depot, Eunuchs

    • Eastern Depot
    • Yongle

16. Forbidden City completed as imperial court complex

    Jan 1, 1420Labels: Forbidden City, Imperial court

    • Forbidden City
    • Palace Museum

17. Beijing proclaimed principal capital of the empire

    Oct 28, 1420Labels: Beijing, Capital proclamation

    • Yongle
    • Yongle era

18. 1421 palace-hall fire and ensuing political crackdown

    Jan 1, 1421Labels: Palace fire, Audience halls

    • Yongle
    • Yongle era

19. Central ministries relocate to Beijing

    Feb 1, 1421Labels: Central ministries, Beijing

    • Yongle
    • Yongle era

20. Third Mongol expedition launched after frontier raids

    Apr 12, 1422Labels: Mongol expedition, Frontier raids

    • Mongol Campaigns
    • Yongle

21. Fourth Mongol expedition conducted as preemptive strike

    Aug 1, 1423Labels: Preemptive strike, Mongols

    • Mongol Campaigns

22. Final Mongol campaign begins from Beijing

    Apr 1, 1424Labels: Final campaign, Arughtai

    • Mongol Campaigns
    • Yongle

23. Yongle Emperor dies returning from Mongolia

    Aug 12, 1424Labels: Yongle Emperor, Yumuchuan

    • Yongle
    • Britannica