Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor)
A poor peasant and former monk who rose in the rebellions against the Yuan and founded the Ming at Nanjing in 1368, driving the Mongols from China.
| Lived | 1328 – 1398 |
| Known as | Founder of the Ming dynasty |
| Birthplace or main place | Fengyang |
| Places on the map | Nanjing |
FengyangSee the world of Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor) in the interactive map
Who ruled these places in his lifetime
| Place | At birth (map of 1300) | At death (map of 1300) |
|---|---|---|
| Fengyang | Great Khanate | same |
| Nanjing | Great Khanate | same |
From the border maps nearest to each date; borders are approximate.
Events in his lifetime
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1368 | Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims himself emperor with his capital at Yingtian | Nanjing |
Further reading
- Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor) in Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor) on Wikipedia
Contemporaries
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1332 – 1406 | Ibn Khaldun | Historian |
| c. 1315 – 1390 | Hafez | Poet |
| 1336 – 1405 | Timur (Tamerlane) | Founder of the Timurid Empire |
| 1304 – 1374 | Petrarch | Poet and humanist |
| 1304 – 1369 | Ibn Battuta | Traveller |
| 1360 – 1424 | Zhu Di (Yongle Emperor) | Ming emperor |
| 1371 – 1433 | Zheng He | Admiral and explorer |
| c. 1372 – 1415 | Jan Hus | Church reformer |
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.